Smells Like Coffee ~ (Etho x Bdubs)

Epilogue - The Trick is to Avoid Getting Caught

"Quick quick get away!"

"Shit run!"

"Crap crap they totally saw us!"

The curtain swayed, and each person tried to rush to a different corner of the room, looking as casual as possible. Some were less convincing than others.

Cleo, closest to the curtain still, peeked out slyly. "Neither of them are looking over here."

"They probably saw the curtain then." Iskall argued.

"They weren't smart enough to see what was so clear to all of us all of this time, you think they'll notice a curtain?" Doc said.

"Those are different types of seeing, man!" Ren said. "Neither of them are actually blind!"

"Hush hush they're coming!" Pearl said, near Cleo.

"Don't say anything!" Keralis exclaimed in a whisper.

The door slowly opened, and everyone looked 100% normal. Ignore that Mumbo was just staring at a wall, Grian was upside down on the couch, Iskall was in deep conversation with a plant, Stress and Pearl were analyzing a bowl, a good number were just looking in random directs or pretending to talk with no sound, and Ren was trying (and failing) to throw popcorn into his mouth while Doc was just shaking his head slowly. Actually that last one was pretty normal.

Everyone avoided eye contact with them, perfectly happy to let them avoid explaining themselves and pretending like they spent a normal amount of time outside, and when they separated, there was a collective silent breath of relief. They hadn't noticed their audience.

The party went relatively normally after that, but if a person or two snagged a photo of the hottest new couple being stupidly in love with not-so-hidden glances or lovestruck looks, then yes, they would most certainly be asking for payment for them at the wedding like the wonderful friends they were.

---

"I was gonna say it doesn't even matter," Iskall mused. "Our friends got their shit together, and they're happy."

Tucked into a corner of the party, everything was winding down. That included the little bet Grian and Iskall had, and after Iskall had nodded their head away from the crowd and Grian pretty much got the message, Grian was certainly doubting many of the decisions he'd made prior to this.

"They really are," Grian said, his face unsure if it wanted to smile or frown. He went with a nervous-awkward smile. "You could still leave it at that, y'know."

Iskall just gave him a look that said it all: "We both know the answer is no, G."

"Worth a shot," Grian sighed. "I'll remind you that I can win later, still."

"My win is worth much more." Iskall smiled. "You can have them cancel out eventually, and owe less, or we can both make full due of each." Iskall offered. They knew Ren and Doc would eventually get together and they would still owe Grian a small IOU, but if they could cancel it out and avoid that, it would be like a double win.

Grian bit his lip, thinking it over. "Full due." He stated. "I'm not leaving with less than nothing on its own."

"Fair enough." Iskall smiled. "I hope you like sequins."

Grian groaned, and Iskall let out the cackle they were famous for.

What had he gotten himself into?

----

It was dark, with the lights off, but they really didn't want to get caught like this, so it was safer for anyone walking by to think nothing of it. Light cracked into the closet through the spaces between the door panels at least, providing just enough light to make out where each other were, and that's all they really needed.