Dear DoubleO

Welcome Home, Love

Any minute now, Etho would walk out of the airport doors. Bdubs wasn't nervous! Not at all! Totally not. It was just Etho after all... yeah.

Bdubs sighed and covered his face with his hands to hide the blush creeping up his face. It was quite unfortunate that both Doc and Iskall were too busy to pick Etho up. Bdubs would have liked at least another day or two before he confronted Etho about the note. And sure, he could wait and not say anything, but Bdubs just knew that the moment he opened his mouth, it'd all come spilling out. The love letter was, after all, the only thing occupying his brain for the last 24 hours. And to make matters worse, he hadn't even been able to get ahold of Grian and ask him about it.

Bdubs's eyes trailed back to the airport doors. Like clockwork, the doors opened and revealed Etho. Stunning, breathtaking Etho. Bdubs felt the blush return to his cheeks but he didn't care. He quickly exited his car and ran to greet his friend.

"Etho!"

"Bdubs!" Etho pushed his luggage out of the way before Bdubs tackled him into a hug. The two laughed and started heading back to the car.

"I missed you! How was Hawaii! Tell me everything!"

"Oh it was so awesome! OH and I met someone!" Bdubs paused and turned to look at Etho. Met someone? Like he got a boyfriend? Bdubs felt his heart crumble inside his chest.

"Yeah?"

"Yup! His name is Xisuma, you'd love him. He's gonna come visit soon." So it was true. Etho had gone to Hawaii and returned with a long distance boyfriend. Bdubs held the tears back and faked a smile. He was glad that Etho was happy. Something about it just felt so wrong.

"That's nice E." Bdubs shoved Etho's suitcase in the trunk of the car and quickly rounded to the driver's seat, desperately trying to escape the conversation. Etho also climbed in the car, continuing to ramble about his trip.

"The beach was really cool too! I did a lot of painting there. And Xisuma and I went surfing a bunch. He's really cool." Bdubs silent pleaded for a change of subject, his fake smile starting to disintegrate the more Etho talked about Xisuma.

"How did your painting go? Was it everything you hoped for?"

"It was great! Drew some really pretty stuff. Even sold a piece to Xisuma. It was a painting of the place we surfed." Bdubs started driving, trying to distract himself from the pit forming in his stomach. Every sentence was Xisuma. If Etho loved Xisuma, then the letter was fake. I knew Grian was pranking me.

"Oh and Xisuma and I went to a luau! I have some great pictures. It was a blast." Bdubs couldn't take it anymore. He spat back a comment sarcastically.

"Well I'm happy you've found some dumb Hawaiian boyfriend that's cooler than all of us here." Etho looked taken aback. His eyes grew wide at the comment and blush rose to his cheeks.

"Oh no no no no you've got it ALL wrong. I would never replace you guys! And Xisuma and are are very very strictly just friends. Like, severely just friends. Like, so much so that he was giving me advice about what to wear for the guy I do like. X and I are definitely NOT dating." Bdubs realized his mistake. Etho wasn't dating anyone. The sinking feeling in Bdubs's stomach quickly dissipated.

"Sorry for snapping, I didn't mean to- wait, did you say giving you advice for the guy you liked?" Once again, Etho's cheeks flushed. Bdubs looked over at Etho's blushing face. And thats when he saw it. Silver stud earrings. Etho had his ears pierced. Bdubs's face immediately turned the same shade as Etho's. Etho's even hotter. I didn't think that that was even possible. Like... wow. Void I'm a distracted driver.