Chapter Text
A couple of days passed since Joel talked to Pearl about his situation. She'd see him around the server, but to her, it felt like he was avoiding her. That was until Pearl got a message, she looked at who it was from.
The man himself, SmallishBeans.
She immediately opened it up and read it.
SmallishBeans: I'm ready, can u come over to send the note? I'm at my postbox.
PearlescentMoon: Finally you've come to your senses, I'm on my way
Once Pearl arrived at Joel's, his face was already in his hands, stressing. She walked up the staircase and came up behind Joel, startling him. Joel jumped when he felt Pearl's presence and looked back. Pearl had peaked behind Joel to see what he was doing before. All he had was an empty book in front of him.
" Pearl, I don't know what to say or what to write. I'm so scared, I don't wanna ruin our friendship and lose him. But I'm more terrified that I'll just let this pass without saying anything, and then he gets a boyfriend and I have to see him with another guy. "
Pearl covered Joel's mouth with her hand to make him shut up so she could start talking.
" Woah, chill out, you're overthinking this already and we haven't even started writing. "
Joel sighed and just let Pearl lead this, he wasn't going to be much help if all he did was talk like this.
" We've established already you're not good at dealing with your jealousy. "
" Perchance. "
Pearl groaned, she wasn't getting out of here anytime soon. She pulled out the book from under Joel's arms and took out ink and a quill. Once she was done she closed the book and turned to face the man.
" Pretend I'm Etho, tell me how you feel about me. "
Joel looked around, he was panicking and he was confused, he didn't know what to say.
" I- I don't know. I, really like you, I guess? "
" That wouldn't do it for Etho, he'd think you weren't being serious with him. "
Joel screamed into his hands and crouched down.
" I don't know what you want me to say?! You're not exactly Etho, so I don't know what to say. "
" Alright, just tell me what you'd say to Etho then. "
Joel had to think about it for a second, he closed his eyes and then he started speaking.
" Well, I like you Etho. I've liked you for a while, since Double Life. I know that anytime anyone accused me I denied it and swore I'd never like you but I was just really oblivious and in denial. Especially with all the fake flirting, It caught me off guard. I'm still a bit confused about it since I only recently found out about this, but I'm willing to figure it out more for you. "
Joel opened up his eyes and lifted his head to look at Pearl for approval. She gave him a big thumbs-up and a grin.
" That was perfect, now just write it down. Also, add that you guys can talk about it in person. "
Joel started writing and once he finished he went to hand it to Pearl. As she reached out to grab the book, he yanked it back.
" Wait. I'm scared to do this Pearl. What if he doesn't like me, what if he rejects me? I'll never be able to show my face to him again. I'll never be able to walk out of my base again. It'll be too embarrassing. I don't want to do it anymore. "
Pearl slouched and stared at him, annoyed, at this point.
" Joel, He likes you back. Trust me on this. Here- I'll tell ya what. If he rejects you, I, as the grand postal-master of Hermitcraft, will give you free stamps, and privileges in the post offices. Not only that, but I will make sure anything that has to do with mail and you will be dealt with by Tango. "
Joel hesitated a bit before he sighed and signed the book. As he was preparing to send it off, Pearl was watching. The one thing that Joel didn't know was that what Pearl promised would be almost guaranteed not needed. Why did Pearl know this? She was working with Gem.
Geminitay has been working with Etho, like Pearl has been working with Joel. Gem and Pearl would have their little secret meetings about the two for a while since Etho had confided in Gem long ago. They set up a plan for Joel and Etho, and now it was finally coming to an end. As Joel finished setting up, Pearl texted Gem.
PearlescentMoon: Note sent to Etho!
GeminiTay: I'll be waiting!
Joel finished and gave it to Pearl to proofread, she glanced over it and approved it worthy. Before Joel even had the chance to back out, Pearl snatched the note and mailed it off to Etho. Joel patiently waited with his comm open for anything at all. After about 30 of the longest minutes passed, Joel got a text.
Etho: I'm coming over.
Joel stared at his screen and screamed so loud, it terrified the shit out of Pearl. He threw his device at Pearl where she read the message. She jumped up and started to gather all her stuff.
" Well, This is my queue to leave. Joel, I know this will go perfectly. Don't worry and just let everything go as it goes. Text me when everything when your whole thing is over. "
Pearl ran out of there, she was going to go meet up with Gem. Joel paced around his area (in)patiently waiting for Etho to arrive. He was stressing, and he was stressing badly. Every second felt like it was getting longer, he felt like he had been waiting there for hours. That's when he heard a voice, with that stupid but so amazing Canadian accent he loved but didn't want to hear right now.
" Joel? Joel?! Where are you? "
Joel hid behind a building from around the corner and he saw him. He saw Etho looking around for him. As if something was controlling him he came out from hiding and stood right in front of Etho.
" Hey, Etho.. "
Joel had his head down, he was fiddling with his fingers and couldn't keep eye contact, even if he wanted to. It was rare to see Joel like this since he usually had his head held up high. That's how Etho could tell this wasn't Joel trying to make a joke out of this.
" Joel. You said we could talk more in person. "
" It was a joke, I swear! I didn't mean it, I- "
Etho shut him up by grabbing his face and kissing him. Joel was taken aback, he was stunned. It felt weird kissing someone with a mask, but he kind of liked it.
" Let's go inside to talk. "
Joel didn't say anything and just followed behind him without a second thought. They both sat down on the couch of Joel's house, they were both there in silence when Etho said the first words.
" Before I can even admit I like you back, the flirting wasn't fake. I just didn't have any hope of it going any farther because of you being, straight. I was trying to get over you for so long, it's kind of the main reason I dated Bdubs. I never really liked him, I just wanted to get over you. "
Joel lifted his head for the first time with hopeful eyes.
" I would've never guessed, I was just the oblivious, jealous guy. "
Joel laughed at himself, he locked eyes with Etho who had a grin for himself as well.
" Oh really? "
Joel started to gain his confidence back a little bit, he spoke with the tone he usually did.
" I mean I went to Pearl about all of this for the main reason of jealousy! I thought I was homophobic at first because I was just really jealous. "
Etho burst out laughing at Joel.
" I always thought of you as the jealous type. "
They laughed at each other, explaining their experiences to each other. They had found out that Gem and Pearl did set them both up, and in the end, they both knew they had to thank them. Once they figured everything out, It was getting late and Etho had to go home.
" Etho, does this mean, we're together forever? "
Etho was fixing his elytra and getting his rockets out, he looked up at Joel and smiled.
" Forever, and always. "
Before Etho left he pulled down his mask and brought Joel in for a normal, unmasked, kiss. Joel kissed him back, he draped his hands over Etho's shoulders pulling him in closer. They let go of each other and right as Etho was about to pull up his mask, Joel stopped him.
Joel was looking at Etho with a sneaky grin and gave him a little kiss on the neck.
" Because you're so obsessed with neck kisses. "
Etho rolled his eyes and pulled up his mask, Joel could still tell he was blushing. Etho then flew off and Joel watched him leave, he was definitely going to annoy him tomorrow and brag to everyone.