Work Text:
Impulse said he would be back soon, he was going caving for more iron. Only once has Bdubs felt pain. He must be trying really hard to stay safe.
Bdubs stayed to work on the base, the walls are high and while he's being careful to not fall he still takes damage. Bdubs can't help but remember his past incarnation and how he killed Impulse for a clock. "Does he hold it against me?" Bdubs wonders aloud.
The sun starts to set and a final horn symphony rings across the land. Bdubs starts to climb down from the walls and out of the corner of his eye he sees someone walk into the house. Impulse must be home! Bdubs follows into the house.
"Welcome home -" Bdubs starts to say, but Impulse is nowhere to be seen. Instead Etho is standing in the middle of the room.
"Oh hey Etho, what brings you around here?" Bdubs asks. It's not weird to have people come unannounced, a few days ago pillagers were brought into the house, and people come by to make trades and deals all the time, but the look on Etho's face makes Bdubs stomach drop. Its dark, like he's about to do something he shouldn't.
"Are you really happy?" Etho breaks the silence.
Bdubs flinches slightly at his tone. Etho didn't look happy when he was told Bdubs and Impulse are soulmates and he even made a jab at the marriage being rocky. It was the first thing Bdubs heard Etho say in this world. "I am happy with Impulse. We work well together and are already in full armor." He knows where this is going. He knows his betrayal of the first world is going to be used against him. His fists clench.
"Does he trust you though? Can you trust him?" Etho steps closer and tries to take Bdubs hand.
"And I can trust you?" Bdubs pulls away and brings both hands to his chest, the clock Impulse gave him is digging into his wrists from where its strapped to his chest.
"Yes, Bdubs. I haven't killed you, even when I could have." Etho steps closer again.
Bdubs takes a step back and he hits the wall, almost boxed in.
"You might not have spawned the wither or shot the arrow but you sent me to my death on false hopes." Bdubs pushes past Etho and heads to the furnaces. He was smelting glass for windows earlier, they should be done.
"I had full plans on sending you that life Bdubs. How was I supposed to know Grian would kill you that quickly?" Ethos' voice is rising, arms flailed out in aggravation.
"I WAS IN A DEN OF REDS ETHO!" Bdubs yells gripping his fists tight and crushing the glass he held. He feels the blood start to drip and feels bad for Impulse who must be wondering why his hands are bleeding. "THE SECOND I KILLED ANYONE I WAS AS GOOD AS DEAD! I TOLD YOU THEY WERE GROUPED TOGETHER BUT YOU INSISTED." Bdubs vision starts to blur. He knows it's unfair to Etho because how's what he did any different than when Bdubs slaughtered Impulse in their first world? They were doing what they had to.
"So its my fault the great Bdubs couldn't kill and run?" Ethos quieter, he's tense as if bracing for a physical blow.
"It's your fault for being too cowardly to go yellow for your husband's life." Bdubs states. His head held up and determined to hurt Etho. "I might have killed Impulse but at least I looked him in the eyes as I did."
Etho flinched at that. His eyes darted to the beds pushed together in the cozy corner of the room. He wonders if Joel can feel how Ethos' heart clenches now. Can feel his heart break.
"He'll be the one to kill you this time, just you wait. And I'll be there waiting for you next time." Etho storms out of the house and off into the distance.
Bdubs collapses and lets out a sob he had been holding back. Can't I be happy? Can't I have one home that I'm not building alone? Bdubs cries until he cant anymore.
The next morning Impulse comes home and finds Bdubs curled in bed, the clock clutched to his chest. Impulse doesn't ask why he couldn't breathe the night before or why his heart felt tight or why he had to bandage his hands from tiny cuts. Bdubs will say something when he's ready. They've been through a lot.