Hermitcraft oneshots

Hug it better (Fluff)

Holy crap this book is over 10K reads???? Uh??? What even??? Yo thank you all so much! I never ever thought this book would go anywhere, as it started out as just me posting one shot I was proud of at the time. I won't make this a rant, just thank you all so much! <3

But anyway, this is the xB x Keralis shot requested by blitzon_storm

I'm classifying this as fluff, but it could be considered just general idk man. It's not explicitly shippy, but can be interpreted as platonic or shippy. Whichever you prefer!

Warnings-
-Fight scene (No blood or anything described explicitly, they just stumble all over each other like dummies)
-Character death (Dw, they respawn)
-xB is low-key touch starved and has a mini existential crisis-

If I missed anything let me know and I will add it!

Wordcount [~1.2k]

~3rd POV~

xB couldn't help as a faint laugh escaped his lungs as he watched his arrow cut through the air effortlessly, the pointed tip hitting Keralis’ sparceley armored figure from across the arena. xB ducked back around the corner, smacking a hand to his mouth to avoid making noise. His breaths came out in choked, fast, excited breaths laced with the perfect mix of quiet laughter. Keralis looked around frantically, bow poised, ready to shoot. However, the Pole saw no movement from anywhere. Wide eyes shifted around the arena, weary and searching silently. As he opened his mouth to radiate some form of wisdom across the arena to his foe, the words died in his throat as his body fell to the ground, his form flattened by the projectile hurling towards the earth.

Keralis was squashed by a falling anvil.

xB let his laughs out in wheezes, evading his hiding spot to pick up Keralis’ practically ruined iron armor and weapons. He claimed the dropped player head for himself, stuffing it away in his pockets. He jumped down the ladder, making his way towards his friends temporary bunker.

“Best five out of six?”

Keralis scoffed, attempting to act hurt, but his gaze alone expressed clear admiration. “Dude, xB! How are you that good with a bow? I didn’t even see you!”

With only a shrug, xB handed the older his items back. He vaguely tried to give tips, his mind wandering and absent throughout the entire conversation as Keralis got ready for another match. Recently he had found it hard to concentrate, his brain unsatisfied with simply being in the moment, always waiting for the next new thing. He found himself more often than not lonely in this world he had built, despite having Keralis physically present.

The matches went on, xB’s evasive strategy leaving Keralis trapped in a corner searching frantically at only a few shaking hearts multiple times. Throughout all of them, xB felt like something was wrong. Like something was missing, stopping him from being able to just be here and enjoy the battle.

"Alright that's it!" Keralis snapped after dying quite possibly the seventh time in a row. "xB, no more bows allowed, you gotta fight me mano e mano!"

"What?" xB chuckled. "That's hardly fair."

"You can only say it's not fair because you're winning," The Pole whined, taking a step closer to xB with the best puppy eyes he could manage. "I don't wanna lose!"

After a moment, xB finally gave in. He cracked open the chest in the corner of his bunker, setting the bow and arrows inside. He traded them out for a shield, as was agreed. Keralis had done the same down the hall, a chirpy tone in his voice alerting xB he was ready. The two set off, clambering up the ladders as fast as they could. xB ran to the furthest side of the arena, his long legs having the advantage over Keralis, who followed close behind.

"Where are you running off to?" The older huffed, his sentence practically too watered down by giggles to hear.

"Away from here," xB responded, narrowly avoiding a sword swing that had been coming straight for his face. Keralis took precious seconds, swinging his sword above his head and bashing it into xB's raised shield. The Pole had slowly been backing the younger up towards a wall, which went unnoticed until xB's back was flat against it. xB swung out, his sword clipping Keralis on his armored side and rattling the entire chest piece. He took the time while Keralis laughed to slam his shield into the older, not knocking him down, but making him tip.

But his running wasn't quick enough, Keralis grabbed him by the arm and dragged him back, swinging his body around and causing xB to collapse onto the ground. The impact shattering his chestplate, which by that point had been held together by bubblegum and toothpicks anyway. Dizzily, xB grabbed onto Keralis' hand.

"xB! xB! Wait, wait!" The Pole cried as he struggled to escape the younger's iron grip. "Don't do it, my shoes are untied!"

"Your boots don't have laces," xB called simply, dragging the other's hand down and flopping Keralis onto his back with as much force as he could muster. Without thinking, xB rolled over on top of Keralis, sitting up with his sword above, waiting to taste blood and ready to end the match. "Any last words?"

"I win!" Keralis beamed, shoving the younger off of him in a split second, switching their positions and dragging his swords to land straight through the center of xB's unprotected chest.

xBCrafted was slain by Keralis.

xB wasn't even concerned about his death. It had happened because he slipped up, froze in the moment instead of going straight for the kill. Why had he done that?

Because Keralis was touching him. Why was that such a big deal? It shouldn't have meant anything out of the ordinary. When was the last time anyone had touched him? Not sexually or anything, but in a friendly way. When was the last time xB had gotten any sort of physical attention? Like a hug, or simply holding hands with someone?

xB could hear Keralis' laughter before he entered the room, his smug expression not needing any words to describe how he was feeling. "xB! I- xB?" Keralis stopped all at once after seeing his friend. "You look pale, are you okay?"

He didn't quite know how to answer that. His head was just fuzzy. He rubbed his eyes, slowly looking up at Keralis after a moment of hesitation.

"Keralis...can I just- could you just give me a hug?"

Confusedly, Keralis opened his arms, wrapping his friend in a gentle hug. xB relaxed a bit, snuggling his face into the crook of the Pole's neck and closing his eyes. Why was this alone enough to make him tear up?

"Hey, are you alright?" Keralis asked after a moment, going to pull away, but being held onto tighter by xB. Instead, he began rocking side to side, rubbing small circles onto xB's back and shushing quietly as his friend sniffled half-heartedly. "It'll be alright," He assured. 

Everything was just crashing down. The realization had knocked xB in the head like a bag of bricks and he was left desperately trying not to cry. The weightlessness in his body made him want to collapse, his knee's already buckling under his sudden and unbearable weight. He took Keralis down with him and huddled into a teary mess in his friends lap.

"I'm sorry," xB said simply after a moment, wrapping his arms around Keralis' neck. "I just really needed that I guess."

"Don't apologise, it's okay. I'm here for you." Keralis said, helping xB get out of the remains of his armor. "This was getting pretty old anyway, you want to go play mini games?"

xB nodded, a smile resting on his lips. Keralis was too good a friend. "Yeah, but I'm going to kick your butt."

"Okay okay, how about we raise the steaks; if I win, you buy a book. If you lose, you buy a book!"

~~~

Ya'll I offer free internet hugs for all who want them. (/･ω･(-ω-)