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Only a break, Cub thought as hard as he could. This was only a little hint of time to get things sorted before things got too chaotic in the new Season. The couple wrote the date they came up with the agreement and signed it. Cub's signature looked typed next to Scar's curly and intricate, but sadly scribbled name. It was so dizzying that neither of them had noticed that he had actually written Sarc, not Scar.
For the pair there weren't any real rules. The pair could not kiss, go on dates or partake in the horizontal mambo with each other. This didn't put others off the table, but Cub knew he wouldn't find anyone as perfect as the newly found wizard man. Scar was a wildcard, but he was pretty confident that he wouldn't find anyone else. But they promised not to wait up if the other found someone better.
More important than their romantic relationship, was their perfect and calm friendship. They would keep speaking, meeting every so often to discuss the possibility of getting back together. As long as they stayed friends, they could stay happy.
This might not have been the best idea and Cub was well aware of that. But setting up a new world was hard enough when you aren't working with someone, but when one is to take into account the pressure of also being good enough for someone else and taking care of them slightly. That was not to say that Scar was useless or needed help, he was very talented and could certainly handle himself, but Cub was a little worried when it came to early season.
But Maybe this would be a good idea. They do say, after all, that distance makes the heart grow fonder and if there was anything that this would do it was to create distance. Scar had made friends with a rival from last season, Grian, rather quickly and the burly man didn't totally notice until one time they were together.
Scar, now in a wizard's persona, was selling some crystals like he was a magical hunbot. Naturally, as he loves to support him, Cub bought one of each specific color. He was given a discount and it was a bit odd when he was handed the crystal of love. Neither of them were to mention their relationship as this was just a friendship outing. There was really no way that Father Time had worked his magic and blessed them both with perfection yet. The crystal did, however, make them both really happy. There was still genuine love between them and it showed with the pink that marked their cheeks. The wizard grabbed his hand, but Cub shook it away and stopped him. "Not yet," he said softly, "I'm not ready yet."
He wore a sad expression, but accepted the fate. There wasn't anything else that could really be done about them, could there? It wasn't like some crystals made from the remains of their shared pool of Vex Magic could really do anything to change Cub's mind on the situation.
Of course, Cub loved star still. That was never ever going to change. Their friendship was his favorite part of waking up in the morning. There was no point in changing how he felt. Cub just needed to focus on himself. Scar's quirks proved to be time consuming and all of his energy that wasn't spent on Scar went into project he shared with Scar. His world revolved around the taller of the pair. He didn't even have his own home last season, it was all just projects that he worked on; all featuring the one and only GoodTimesWithScar. Everything was with Scar. Did Cub even know himself in the end or was it just how he acted with Scar and how he was with Scar?
Being alone was new. It wasn't bad before, in fact he loved the time with him by his side. But it was time consuming. He sighed, remembering every little moment in one of his off moments, laying in a bed and staring at the top of the pyramid he was in and curling his fingers under the chin of a young dog on his chest. They met three seasons ago and were quick friends. Neither of them expected to be a couple. Nobody in the world expected either of the strong and quiet Cub to fall for the loud and dorky Scar, but it was instant for him. They formed an empire, the ConVex. They were Bill Gates rich. They retired hand in hand and their diamonds just made more diamonds. It was perfect. Beautiful together. Their empire was one of Cub's favorite things to ever come from the Hermitcraft world, passed only by the relationship he formed with Scar.
Between the duo there was nothing but perfection dancing through every scene of his memories. Cub could hardly remember a time where Scar wasn't at his side. They got sick together and they took breaks and vacations together. They were always together. Cub smiled at his memories but shook the idea of going back away. He loved Scar, but he needed to love himself alone too.
After the first month of being apart, not long after the meeting with the crystals, Cub thought he would be read, but he shook his head when they met up. Instead of rekindling the fire, they just talked. Scar shared his experience with Grian as a neighbor so close and showed off their joint projects. He looked happy. Cub didn't have much to talk about, just a lot of talking about his plans. He had so many plans and none of them really mentioned them together. Scar took notice and seemed a little cautious.
The second and third months passed quickly too, but they couldn't have a formal meeting for either. Cub was caught up in wrestling for one of them and the other he had countless hours of building to do. But they still spoke through their communicators. But, the daily messages in the beginning of the season turned quickly into every other day. And then once a week. And suddenly, when the eve of their third month apart passed, they realized it had been three and a half weeks since they had last messaged one another.
One the day after the first month, though Cub didn't know it, Scar embraced another man. He had given up hope at that point. He asked, just curiously in their conversation if he would ever be ready to really go back. And to that, Cub was clueless. He had no answer. Living with only the monsters of the night and whatever pets he chose to tame. It sure was lonely, but it gave him time to think.
How could he go back, Cub told himself, and fuel the addiction he had before? He could work together with Scar and they would make enough money to fund a whole new world. But that wasn't really possible as every diamond he claimed went directly back into the Pharaoh's elegant home. When it comes to Cub, he either hoarded all of his money or he spent it all. This season he was spending every bit of it and that didn't fit in with Scar's recent addiction to consuming the precious gems.
On the halfway point between the third and fourth month away, Cub stared at the sand between his old and current homes. His head was dipped in his hand which rested on his knee. It would be in both of his hands on both of his knees if not for the steadily growing dog that rested his head on the other thigh. Cub was lost in thought, focused only on the sand and how it moved with the slight wind that blew through the desert. His mind was full of images of Scar. They hadn't spoken in a while, let alone seeing one another in person. But...he missed him.
His mind was dancing a mild a minute through the thoughts of everything. How it would be easier if he had the wizard next to him. The landscape around the mountains would melt perfectly together from the endless talent that Scar held. Cub would remember to actually get sleep at night instead of stare at the top of his pyramid. There was clearly only one solution here, wasn't there? He rubbed the dog's head again and caught the spot behind his soft ears that made him seem to melt into his hand.
"I am going to do it," he told himself proudly and stood up, much to the dog's annoyance. "I am going to ask Scar to come back!" With the clicking of his elytra into place and the wag of the pup's tail, he jumped off a slight ledge and fired a quick rocket. He started flying toward the jungle that housed the man that he adored and finally was ready to sit next to once again. He wore a wide smile at the thought of the look on Scar's face. Shock or love would be what he needed to see, it would make his day. He just knew it.
The jungle was always warm and humid, but the air felt like ice compared to the sweltering desert that dragged on for miles around his massive pyramid. He swooped down and landed at Larry, patting the snail's head. He climbed up and went to the entrance, looking around for Scar. But the wizard wasn't inside. Why wasn't he there?
Cub shrugged off the worry and looked around, thinking maybe there were other places that he could be, right? It was early in the morning, with the sun only just rising. Maybe he had worked late and curled up in bed with a villager? It made the most sense that way, so he walked off through the village and spotted every place where he could have curled up and hung out. He found nothing. Nothing. He opened the chat privately with Scar and asked where he was.
<GoodTimeWithScar> Oh, Cub- Im at Gris
The message shot a burst of pain through his chest and his heart started to beat faster. He slowed his breathing and then took off toward the large, strange mansion that he often helped Grian out with. Flying around the exterior, he looked for them working on the cliffs under certain parts, but they were not around. Maybe they weren't working on that, taking a break or getting ready to start for the day, so Cub flew around inside. Nothing.
Nothing. Nothing. The findings repeated at different speeds and volumes in his mind. It was strange to find that he was nervous, but he was. Maybe other things were going on.
<GoodTimeWithScar> Wheer are you?
Cub felt another message and he looked at his device once again. He noticed a small error of Scar typing a little wrong. He was a bit disheartened that it wasn't an "I see you" message. He gave his location of the mansion and was directed back to Larry. He took off and landed about the same time that Scar had gotten there with Grian right behind him. They must have been at Grian's hobbit hole or Scar's construction site. His chest felt like it was on fire when he saw the messy appearance of Scar dressed up normally with a certain red sweater under his robe. It looked...
"Cub," Scar spoke with a smile, but the eyes looked dead. Grian held their hands together, fingers laced together. Everything clicked together. The pair were more than just a pair. They were...together. That's...
He was not going to lie to himself, that would make it worse after all. Seeing the two, locked hand in hand, hurt. They gave small comforting smiles, ones that lit up the beautiful green eyes in a way they didn't before, and Cub should have expected this outcome. Grian was like a drug, he heard someone say once. But this wasn't what he expected to find when he came to his- no, not his anymore- when he came to see Scar. "I wanted to.." Be careful. "Talk. About our...deal?"
Scar's movements stuttered and his grip on Grian's hand tightened before he dropped it and took a step away. What would he say? What could he say? It wasn't like Cub could be honest. He couldn't just see Scar for the first time in months standing next to his new boyf- next to Grian, look him in the eyes and say "I love you and I want you back."
Even Grian was feeding off of the awkward in the air that would be hard to cut through with even a sharpness sword. His hand rested on Scar's shoulder and gave a squeeze that caused his faltering smile to return. It was like he was saying "don't worry babe, you can do this" like Scar had done when Cub himself was jealous for one reason or another. But here he was on the reverse of the scene, jealous and only his mind to hold himself back.
Scar slowly breathed, seeming to collect his thoughts and nodded. "A..Are you ready...? O-Or do you need another month?" He seemed pretty upset as he mumbled the second question. Grian gave another squeeze to his shoulder which looked to calm him down.
"I don't want to keep dating you, Scar," he said, clearly lying to protect Scar's happiness with Grian. "I don't feel the same, being alone has been enlightening for me. I just want to be friends, nothing more. If that's okay with you, that is." His heart broke saying the words.
Scar nodded silently, seeming to gulp back the words he thought as Cub saw his Adam's apple move slightly. His eyes didn't change, but his smile dropped to a frown. He really didn't love him anymore, did he?
Before anything else could be said, Cub gave a quick, short nod and turned, firing a rocket and then taking off and spamming slightly to get away. His vision blurred slightly and a tear dripped from his eye and down his cheek. It was his fault in the end, he was the one who fucked up. He waited too long.
He flew off to his pyramid and went inside his starter one, curling up in a corner and pressing his knees to his chest. His dog lifted his small head at the choked sob that he couldn't suppress, sliding slowly across the floor and resting his head on Cub's knee. His hand detached from his leg and rubbed the dog's head, smiling though it hurt. "I know," he mumbled as if the dog had joke opened his mouth and started speaking to him.
Cub knew that he would have to just suck it up and live his life without Scar. When he looked at them together, he couldn't hide the true happiness that he spotted in the wizard's eyes. That look was all that he ever looked for and was all he needed. He was happy for him. Really, truly happy. But at the same time, he was heart-broken. "He is happy now," he said with a rub on the dog's ear. "Happier than I could have ever made him."