red_wolf: (Default)
[personal profile] red_wolf posting in [community profile] mindcracklove
If you've seen my tumblr the last few hours, you could see I've been complaining about writing a fic. This is that fic.

The title of this fic comes from the song I used as inspiration. (Rubik's cube by athlete, it's a great song so if you have a space few minutes, listen to it.)

Parings: Netho, PauseunBeef

Word count: 2748

Hope you enjoy, feel free to tell me what you think in the comments. (I love comments, so please write them.)


~~~~


When Etho was nine, his parents gave him a Rubik's cube as a birthday present. Every time he tried to solve it, there'd always be that one mismatched color that stood out on the rest, frustrating him to no end. He'd scramble the whole cube up again and try to solve it again. It was always the same mismatched result.

Even after all these year, Etho could not solve the stupid thing. Several times he considered just throwing it out, but that would mean he lost the challenge the cube presented. Etho hated losing, so he kept it and was frustrated every time he picked it up again.

After a night with Nebris, Etho also felt like he had just picked up that rubik's cube again. He felt like he lost a battle against himself and a that stupid one color was still mismatched from the rest. No matter how hard he tried, he could never convey his real emotions to Nebris. Every single time he tried, his body seemed to refuse to let him speak and acted out on it's own. His mind played back every night with Nebris and Etho felt like he needed to cry. The pain Nebris had felt became his own, making his whole body ache.

Why can't I just say what I feel? Etho questioned, but then another question popped into his mind. What were his feelings? Throughout life he learned to only display a select emotions to other people. Simple emotions he could control easily with a clear mind. But every time he even thought about the other man, his mind felt like it was just plunged into a deep fog that he couldn't clear. How was he supposed to say his feelings when he didn't know them himself.

So he was forever stuck in the endless loop of feeling so conflicted with himself. He knew Nebris wouldn't stick around to see the internal conflict resolved. Day after day the other grew more distant, slowly going towards the moment when he wouldn't come crawling back to the red stoner. That day arrived sooner than Etho wanted.

~~~~

It was a cold day; the type of day that makes it snow in biomes that aren't even Taiga. The door of Etho Corp snapped open just as Etho was rewiring some red stone on the upper level. At first he thought it was just another person grabbing a quick potion, but then he heard the footsteps coming up the stairs and he knew exactly who it was. He expected the diamond blade through his chest, but that didn't stop the gasp of shock from escaping his lips.

When he respawned, his heart felt torn in two when he saw purple eyes staring down at him. Etho struggled to his feet, the dizziness from the respawn still haunting him.

"It's done. I'm done."

The words hurt more than the sword did and Etho found himself almost needing to sit down on the bed. He nodded though, showing that he understood and needed no reasoning for the cut off in this messy thing the two could barely call a relationship. If the other had stated the reasoning, both he and Etho would be a sobbing mess by the end.

So, that was the end of whatever thing the two had going on. Nebris felt a weight lifted off of his shoulders whilst Etho felt his heart crushed. Though the pained expression on the red stoner's face did not prevent Nebris from leaving, for he knew that if he stayed any longer, his decision would change.

Etho looked at the ground by his bed, there it sat, the bane of his existence. In all the glory of the perfect matched multiple colored sides, there was that stupid mismatched color. It's difference sparked his inner anger that he hadn't known he had until now. Quickly picking it up, he stretched his arm back a bit, turned around, and threw as hard as he could towards the nearest object. Which unfortunately was at the squid tank's glass, making cracks appear throughout the long glass display.

"Ah man." He muttered as he realized his mistake. Knowing nothing about how to fix the tank without causing harm to the squid, Etho would now have to track down Beef to get him to fix it.

After having his heart just crushed, the red stoner wasn't really in the mood for walking all the way out to the lilypad to fetch the butcher, but maybe it'd clear his mind from the fog for a bit. Grabbing a scarf, he made his way out the front door of Etho Corp. To his surprise, he didn't have to make the long journey.

On the front lawn of the Etho Corp building, a snowball war was taking place between the other two members of Team Canada. Both men had built impressive forts of snow, Beef's beings more practical and structurally sound whilst Pause's was just a bit of snow gathered together that helped him avoid a few hits. It was an amazing sight to see two grown men arguing as they chucked balls of snow at each other. Almost made Etho forget about what had just happened a few moments ago. Almost.

"Beef." His voice had a slight crack, but it was hidden within the leadership tone it took on.

The butcher instantly stopped throwing the chunks of snow towards the other man and turned to face Etho. Just as he was about to speak, a snowball hit the side of his head. "Pause." His voice was practically a growl as he glared at the Indian, who was currently having a bit of a giggle fit. "Now, what do you want Etho?"

Etho wasn't sure if he was going to question why they were having a snowball fight on the front lawn of his business first or talk about the broken glass on his squid tank. He decided to go with the easiest to explain. "My squid tank; I accidentally broke the glass and I was wondering if you could fix it for me."

"Sure, I'd have to go back to the lily pad real quick to get some supplies." Beef told him, mentally checking off the materials he needed for the task. "Why don't you come with me? I have a problem that could use your red stone brain."

Nodding, Etho silently agreed to the journey he was prepared to take before he walked outside.

"Can I come?" Pause asked, his interest peaked at the thought of another Team Canada project.

"Don't you have a hole to dig." Beef questioned as he turned to face the Indian again.

"I'm almost done, I have just a few more blocks to mine before it's done."

"Fine, I guess you can come then."

"Wow, sound a bit more happy why don't you."

"I'm just making sure you're not quitting on such a big project."

"Oh you're one to talk, isn't there several of your builds on the old server, that went unfinished."

There they went again, arguing like an old married couple. It used to be an interesting sight to watch them bicker, now it was just an old annoying view. Etho sighed, he guessed he better stop them or else they'd be rolling around on the floor soon, at each other's necks. "Can we just go?"

Beef loosened his grip on Pause's shirt. "Uh, sure."

The other man ripped completely away from his grip and glared at him. "Stupid builds, stupid Beef..." He repetitively muttered, though Beef showed no reaction to it.

~~~~

Beef and Etho stood inside the butcher's main house on the lily pad, sorting through the supplies needed to fix the tank while Pause was currently occupying himself by making friends with spud.

"What happened between you and Nebris?" Etho practically winced at that question, he should have known that Beef was going to ask about it. That was probably the reason he wanted Etho to come with him in the first place.d

"Nothing." His response was short and tense.

"If nothing happened, why did Nebris run out of the your building looking like a puppy that someone just kicked?"

Etho didn't respond, repeating the four words Nebris had said to him over in his mind. All he wanted to do right now was run away from the topic and forget that they were ever in a what is barely under the term of relationship. He knew that he couldn't though, that if he ran away from the problem right now, it'd just haunt every step he took.

"Etho, everyone knows about how you two are, now tell me what happened before MC goes over to Pause again and asks him to kill you." Beef made a good point, one of the last things Etho wanted right now was to have Pause pressing a diamond blade against his throat.

"It's done. He ended it." The red stoner hoped that Beef understood what he just said, expanding on details would only the hurt in his chest get sharper.

The butcher was silent for a moment before he pulled out some more supplies. When he finally found everything he needed to repair the tanks glass, Beef closed the chest and looked at Etho with a raised eyebrow. "Completely over?"

Usually the break ups between Etho and Nebris barely lasted a day or two, Nebris would come back on his knees, begging Etho to take him back. This time felt different though. It didn't feel like a break Nebris would try to fix after a night of drinking. Something seemed to have cut through the notion that the other was going to return to him. Oh right, something did. Nebris' diamond sword.

Realizing he hadn't answered Beef, he quickly replied with a quick "Yeah".

Beef didn't question any further, he just walked out of the house and called Pause over to tell him that they were going back to Etho Corp.

Etho didn't know what Beef was thinking since he a neutral expression painted across his face. The butcher was the first in these types of situations to give helpful advice, but this time he was silent. This worried Etho, why wasn't his friend trying to comfort him at all?

~~~

The tank's glass was easily fixed. Pause found the Rubik's cube and was frustrated with it within a short amount of time. Beef even threatened to kill Pause if he even dared to throw it at the glass after it was just finished. The two left with Beef barely saying anything to Etho other than asking him to deliver the payment at the lily pad.

Etho sat in front of the squid tank, watch asdjke swim around. It was slightly calming, though the squid ran into the sides of the tank every few seconds, making a thumping sound echo throughout the underground area. He turned his attention towards the Rubik's cube in his hands. It was completely mismatched from Pause scrambling it in anger. Slowly, Etho turned turned the sides as his mind figured out the puzzle it presented.

Shortly after he started, the red stoner was at a standstill like always with that single mismatched color on each side. His fingers traced over the square patch of color, his mind starting to clear from the fog it had been in all day. Then a thought hit him like a bolt of lightning.

Before he even knew it, Etho was putting his scarf back on and running out the door. He didn't know where he was heading until he spotted Nebris standing outside of Doc Shop, staring up at the building with his hands shoved in his pockets and scarf wrapped tightly around his neck.

"Nebris!" Etho called out and he saw the other man turn towards him with a look of surprise on his face. As soon Etho reached him, he doubled over and put his hands on his knees, panting as he tried to regain his breathe.

"What do you want?" Nebris was always horrible at masking his emotions, and now wasn't an exception. He tried to put a bored tone on but the shock and nervousness he was feeling at the moment showed through.

The red stoner had no time to think about what he was about to say before he blurted out, "I'm strange."

"Is that suppose to woe me over?" The other man was clearly holding a chuckle.

"I mean, I'm strange in the way I get confused with emotions. Basic emotions I do just fine with, but whenever I feel very strongly about something that I get multiple layers of emotions, my brain doesn't process them. I get them mixed up, and don't react how I should with those emotions." Etho took a deep breathe, standing straight up and staring into Nebris' eyes. "I mixed up the emotions I had for you with some kind of possessive feelings. I'm sorry."

Nebris blinked as he took in this new information before narrowing his eyes. "What are your emotions do you have for me?"

Etho didn't know how to answer that question exactly, he barely figured out his feelings a few moments ago, how was he suppose to express them in words. So, he didn't tell Nebris in words. Stepping closer to the other man, Etho cupped Nebris' face before kissing him slowly.

Nebris was shocked at the sudden kiss but soon melted into it, wrapping his arms around the Etho's neck.

The red stoner didn't try to take control of the kiss or make any further advancements. He just wrapped his arms around Nebris and pulled the other just slightly closer to him. A warm feeling spread throughout his body, making him smile into the kiss. That broken feeling that had ached his heart was suddenly felt healed.

When they finally broke away from each other for breathe, both were practically laughing at how happy the other looked. Their breathes made a warm steam around them, teasing their cheeks with the brush of warmth. Though that warmth was gone as fast as it appeared when the two went into another kiss.

~~~

Etho adjusted the tie of his suit. Well, it wasn't technically his suit, he had borrowed it from Beef and it fit surprisingly well on him. The butcher had been happy to lend it too, practically racing to give it to him before Etho even finished saying the word "suit".

He did question why the other didn't help him earlier whilst he was there. Beef just replied with a smile, "I can't help you find your emotions, only you can do that."

There was the snapping of the front doors of Etho Corp being opened and Etho felt a smile spread across his face. Quickly turning off the lights in asdjke's tank, he raced up to the next level. Tonight was the night of Etho's and Nebris' first date.

His date was on the main level, leaning against the front desk while facing the towards the door. Nebris was dressed in a suit as well, his suit was jet black and purple tie. Etho took a moment to admire him before announcing his presence. "Hey, you look good."

A smile danced onto Nebris' lips as he turned around to face the other. That's when Etho noticed his Rubik's cube in the other's hands. Nebris automatically knew what he was looking at and tossed Etho the small cube. "I saw you were stuck on it so I finished it, hope you don't mind."

Etho stared down at the perfectly matched colors of the Rubik's cube's sides. He felt like breaking into a laughing fit of happiness, but he settled on just kissing his date. "Let's go." Setting down the cube of the desk, they both started on their way out, holding each other's hands.

The puzzle that had stumped him for years, had been solved by Nebris in a few minutes. Some people would get angry at this result, saying that they had lost. But Etho said he won, because he was the one who found the answer to the puzzle. Both puzzles to be exact. The puzzle of the cube and the puzzle of his heart.

Oh and he had finally figured out how to put his emotions for Nebris into words. Though it has simple spelling, it's meaning is now completely different to Etho. The word that conveys every single feeling he has for the other man is love.




Date: Friday, October 18th, 2013 02:24 am (UTC)
celestepastore: (Default)
From: [personal profile] celestepastore
-Baww's and gives thunderous applause.-

Date: Friday, October 18th, 2013 02:29 am (UTC)
squidney87: Me and Etho. <3 (Default)
From: [personal profile] squidney87
This is so cute! I love it!

Dawww Etho. Sharing your feelings. <3

Date: Friday, October 18th, 2013 03:17 am (UTC)
From: [personal profile] reddim
Oh man, the noises I just made. The snowball fight, Etho sharing his feelings, Etho being in love with Nebris, Nebris loving him back, their first date... Gah! <3

I love this. I love you. And I love your writing.

Seriously, well done! c:

Date: Friday, October 18th, 2013 05:55 am (UTC)
sunsetmondays: salad (Default)
From: [personal profile] sunsetmondays
Cuteness and emotions and <3

Date: Friday, October 18th, 2013 07:16 am (UTC)
wildh10l: (Default)
From: [personal profile] wildh10l
Happy Nebtho! Yay!

Perfect way of describing Etho's jumbled emotions by the way. :)

Date: Saturday, October 19th, 2013 01:40 am (UTC)
kmd222me: (Default)
From: [personal profile] kmd222me
It's-I-awwwwww! That was beautiful. It's probably one of the most amazing pieces I've read. So well planned! <3 :D :')

Date: Saturday, October 19th, 2013 11:08 am (UTC)
bookworm2692: Cartoon picture of green worm reading (Default)
From: [personal profile] bookworm2692
That... Was... AMAZING

Date: Monday, October 21st, 2013 01:54 am (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
I am having so many feels right now, oh my gosh. There were parts when I squealed out loud from the cuteness.

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