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Hey man!
I’ve binge watched your show as soon as it came out (haha came out Lol) and it’s so fucking good!! Might watch it again. Actually I will. Congratulations btw!! Last time we spoke you were losing your shit on being casted and I’m so proud of how far you’ve gotten
Let me know when you are in town
Love you cousin
❤️
Tommy hopes his message finds him in good health. With the show’s release, he can only imagine his cousin’s schedule only becoming busier with press and promotional stuff.
Not many people know this, in fact, no one outside family knows that Joe Locke is fucking related to Tom Simons. It’s not like they have to keep it a secret, he didn’t need to sign a fucking NDA for being a brand risk or something. The reason is a lot more lighthearted than that, actually.
It just occured one day. Joe rang him as soon as he finished his audition because he is a nervous wreck who thought he did poorly. Tommy just then decided, “Hey, you will become a fuckin’ superstar after this! Mark my words. And when it happens, wouldn’t it be funny to keep being relatives a secret?”
Needless to say, it helped distract his beloved cousin from distress and like always, Joe can also see through the humor. Because there’s a cursed period in time when Tommyinnit was more famous than Joe Locke.
And Joe – bless his humble heart – never believed he’d ever be famous in the first place.
“You pull off stadium-sized views on your streams, Tom. It’s just never going to happen.” Joe said at the time in a bewildered sneer.
Well, fast forward to the present, Tommy has told him so. Now, Joe Locke is everywhere as much as Tommyinnit is a household name in the Minecraft community.
With the level of fame and recognition that they both have, you’d think that it would get to their heads like it normally would, like what happens to tiktok stars. Fortunately, they remained some of the most level headed people in their respective communities. So much so, that they’ve committed to their bit with joint efforts to keep each other a secret.
It’s just funnier that way, innit? Instead of sharing and indulging in each other’s popularity like pompous assholes.
Anyhow, Tommy wasn’t expecting a response any time soon, Joe could be anywhere in the world right now. He just felt like commending him for the success of the show because he genuinely enjoyed watching it, smiling every time his cousin was in frame. Also because he found himself relating so hard as a boy crushing on another boy.
His phone rings loudly before he could jump down that rabbit hole and end up daydreaming about a certain American again.
“Hello?”
“Tom!”
“Joe?” A grin spreads over his lips widely with excitement. “How are you, man? Holy shit, you’re fuckin’ amazing like… I’m genuinely still in shock that I just watched my cousin on my telly!”
Joe snickered softly. “Thanks. I am too. This feels all so surreal! I’m actually glad you texted me, I miss home. I miss London.”
“Yeah? Where are you anyway? I was just thinking that you could be anywhere. If you tell me you’re in fuckin’ Brazil or some shit, I wouldn’t be surprised,”
“I wish. But I’m just in America for press stuff.”
“Aw, boooooo…”
“I know! No one told me it would be so dense and hot here. I have to check every two seconds if I have pit stains on my shirt.” Joe grumbled.
Tommy hears the faint rustling as if his cousin was actually checking his underarms. “It must be late for you at this hour then. Why are you still up?”
“Couldn’t sleep. I’m still trying to get used to a lot of things.”
He hums in response. That’s understandable, it easily reminded him of the time when he first got recognized in public, someone else you don’t know coming up to you as a fan, it hits him like a slap on the face almost every time.
“… So, did the show ever inspire you to do something about your situation with… Uhm—wait, what’s his name again?”
Tommy inwardly groaned.
“It’s Ranboo, you dickhead!” He exclaimed, ears burning hotly, now that the conversation is heading somewhere more embarrassing. “And no! I’ve been very busy dealing with merch stuff since it dropped—“
“Oh! Could you send me some?”
“Only if you don’t make fun of me, you prick!”
“No promises.”
Tommy simply rolled his eyes before continuing. “As I was saying, we haven’t been talking. I’m busy and I’m pretty sure he is still jet lagged since he was in America last week. So, no, Joe. I haven’t been actively thinking about him while I watch you kiss your love interest in the show.”
“I see. So, you’re still a coward,” His cousin concluded confidently.
“Joe!”
“What? I’m just saying, you could be holding hands with a boyfriend right now.”
“Or ruin our friendship and get absolutely rejected because he doesn’t like me like that.” He suggested a more realistic ending. “You’re way too confident that he’d feel the same way.”
“Of course! He likes you back, Tom… At least based on what you’ve told me.”
Tommy hasn’t really told him much.
Well… That’s a lie.
He practically tells Joe everything! He had his empathic cousin to thank for coming to terms with his sexuality when he was gay panicking for the first time, which led to stories involving Ranboo because that guy just had to become a semi-permanent fixture in his life ever since they first met in Tubbo’s backyard.
Joe – a romantic at heart – has been rooting for them like they’re the real life versions of Nick and Charlie.
He rolled his eyes again. His cousin means well but he can’t give himself false hope like that. It’s bad enough that Ranboo doesn’t know he has a crush on him. It’s probably worse that he doesn’t even know that he’s bisexual.
He sighed pathetically.
“That’s just the way he is. He just… Looks at everyone like he’s a bit in love with them. The way he looks at me isn’t any different from how he looks at Freddie, or better yet, Aimee! And they’re a lesbian!”
Joe sighed in defeat, he sensed that it was time for him to concede. “God, you’re hopeless. You can’t keep finding reasons to avoid telling him, y’know?”
“I know. I’m just scared.” He admitted in an undertone.
He’s been scared for a really long time and it didn’t get any better when they got closer. He’d argue that it’s much worse. Because he has so much to lose now. And above all else, he doesn’t want to lose Ranboo in his life, even if they can only be friends and nothing more.