Work Text:
It was another uneventful day on “The E&M Show!” (Trademark) like always. Barren walls gave the studio a very uncanny look and the windowless plaster didn’t seem to help much. Small decor lined shelves and tables, though, giving the empty space a bit of personality.
Rain, (or at least something adjacent to rain), fell harsh outside, striking the walls of the studio with a loud crack as each droplet hit.
Max, as great as they are, was in too jovial of a mood for how dreary a day it was. Practically radiating with energy, they bounced up and down as they waltzed through the hallways. Max had always been energetic… maybe a bit… too energetic… but by then their earlier cup of coffee had already started to pulse through their veins, and there was (sadly) no stopping them now. M creaks the door open and flips the switch, lights flickering before fully illuminating. They then quickly stride into the studio and begin their routine set up:
- Plug everything in
- Make sure nothing is missing from its rightful place
- GET RID OF THE ROACHES- how did they keep getting in???
After finishing setting up, they walk their way over to the control room, crossing their fingers as they brace for another outage.
“Come onnnn…”
They say, worried.
They flip a switch, holding their breath in anticipation.
A button clicks audibly, and the room comes to life. Lights, mics, and more flare up in liveliness and newfound joy.
M smiles and exhales, a sharp, toothy grin spread across their face.
“Perfect.”
They skip back over to their desk, plopping themself down and intertwining their own fingers politely, waiting for E to arrive.
Tick tock, tick tock.
The clock ticks rapidly behind them, but it’s far from unusual. Time was a bit fucked up on this plane.
…
Minutes pass, and a tinge of worry nags at their chest.
M’s mind wanders slightly as they are no longer occupied with a distraction. They tap their fingers on the desk in a rhythmic motion, before raising their hand up to their neck.
They trace the scar on their neck with their coarse fingertips, frowning slightly.
Of course they were happy to be tethered to someone like E, but it was still strange nonetheless. They just felt like they were holding him back, a parasite leaching all life from its host. They shudder. “N-no matter!” thought M. They wouldn’t allow their lingering guilt ruin their good mood just yet.
…
5 minutes till recording is supposed to start, and E is still no where to be seen. This strikes M as odd- Etho was a very punctual person, sometimes getting here before the studio was even open. They try and fail to shake off the thought that something terrible had happened to him.
Bounce.
Bounce.
Bounce.
Their leg starts rapidly jumping up and down, up and down, their anxiety pulsing as they try to rid their thoughts of worry.
“Fuck.”
Max whispers, pushing themself back and quickly rising from their chair.
They speed walk their way to the door, disregarding the equipment still very much on- (They knew they would get in trouble later because of this, but whatever. E was far more important than an electricity bill).
They hurriedly shut the door behind them and start their way to Etho’s room. Sweat trickles down their neck, the sensation causing them to feel the slight separation between their scar and tissue. It’s nauseating.
Their mind spirals, horrible scenarios dancing around in their head as they painstakingly make their way to xer room. (apartments? Dorms? Idgaf dude but bros gotta be somewhere 😭✌️)
Finally, after what seems like an eternity, they make it to E’s room. Terrified, they grab the doorknob, hands shaky and slick with sweat.
“It’s okay,” Max tells themself, “if xe were dead-“ their breath hitches “then I would be too…”
Click!
The door swings back with a jarring motion, the creaking metal opening into a small, oh so quiet living room.
“E?…” M says, voice small and barely audible. They look around the room but hear no movement coming towards them.
They clear their throat and try again.
“E-Etho?…” They say, much louder this time.
Suddenly, a shifting motion can be heard from one of the side rooms, and M practically melts in relief. E was safe, and that’s all that mattered.
Max closed the door behind them, locking it to prevent any possible intruders from entering. (Not likely, but M is very paranoid when it comes to safety.) They start their way to the room in which the sound was made, feet treading lightly on the floor.
They knock softly on the wood.
“Etho ?… you in there?…”
He grunts.
Max huffs a laugh at this.
“I’m coming in, okay?”
No response.
M opens the door quietly, afraid that even the slightest bit of noise could disturb whatever E was doing inside.
It was pitch black when Max stepped into the room, but something told them that it was a bad idea to turn the light on. They groped their way around the darkness for a moment, until their eyes finally adjusted.
Laying on the mattress before them was a bundle of blankets, and one sleepy entity.
Etho.
Max smiled at seeing E so comfortably restful, and walked over to greet xem.
“Etho,” they say, gently shaking his shoulder. “We need to film.”
E rolls over and grunts, refusing their wake-up call. M’s mouth turns down slightly at the rejected touch, but continues to softly shake at xer shoulder.
“Etho.” They say, a bit firmer than before.
“We will be in big trouble if we don’t. You know this.” Etho groaned in acknowledgement, but refused to oblige.
Max sighed, finding their way to where E was facing. They kneel down in front of the mattress, arms crossed and laying on the firm cushioning. They lay their head on their arms, staring into his half-lidded eye.
“Etho.” The tone is gentle and sweet, filled with amused affection but blunt frustration. “You need to get up.” Etho says nothing and continues to stare at the figure before xem. He sighs, and finally decides that this is the moment xe should speak.
“I-… I don’t think I can…”
Max raises a brow.
“What do you mean ‘think?”
Etho closes his eye for a moment, before opening it once more.
“I dunno, I think I caught something.”
Max chuckles under their breath, amused by E’s claim.
“Really, now?” They say, a cocky smile on their face.
E rolls his eye.
“I’m serious.”
M’s smile falters at this, realizing that Etho might be telling the truth. Max had yet to notice, but under E’s glossy eye was a heavy eye bag, only gained from countless restless nights.
Not only that, but Etho’s voice was harsh and quiet, a clear symptom for something nasty residing inside.
“Are you sure?”
E nods
Max sighs, and starts to push themself off the ground.
“Fine. I’ll call in, but if you’re faking it and the boss finds out, you’ll get us both completely annihilated.”
E huffs in slight amusement, and xer lidded eye takes a softer stare.
“Thank you…” Etho says, tugging at Max’s shirt. (YES I KNOW BOTH OF THEM TECHNICALLY DON’T WEAR CLOTHES BUT FUCK YOU)
M smiles subtly, and stands upright.
“Don’t start thanking me yet, E. We still gotta get the green light from the big man.”
He groans loudly and with that, M leaves the room to announce to the superiors that there wouldn’t be an episode that day.
…
As Max leaves the room, E tries to sit xemself upright, but fails miserably.
“Damnit,” he thinks, head falling back to his pillow. Not even a minute has passed and the room is deafeningly quiet once more.
Etho shifts in his blanket, getting increasingly uncomfortable each passing second. it was too hot, too tight, and far too quiet for xem to feel at ease.
“When will Max come back?”
Xe think to xemself, cringing at xer desperate longing shortly after.
Xe throws his hands over his face and pulls down at his skin in both embarrassment and exhaustion.
“Ughhhhh…” xe groan.
Suddenly, the door creaks open once more. Max enters, and despite not having eyes, has an obvious expression of joy on their face.
“Good news!” They say while walking back towards the bed.
“The boss gave us the thumbs up to stay in today!”
E, despite being relieved at this, raises an eyebrow.
“Us?…”
Max tilts their head, hands on their hips.
“Duh, who else is gonna take care of you while you recover from your mystery illness?” They say, a bit of a pout on their face at the thought that Etho expected to be suffering alone.
Xe begrudgingly sits up, this time strong enough to support himself.
“You really don’t have to do this, Max.”
M sits on the edge of the bed, fondly smiling at Etho.
“Well, too bad! I want to.”
E returns the look and sighs.
“Fine. But if you catch…” xe motion to xer body, “whatever- this- is, i’m gonna say I told you so.”
Etho points his finger at Max with a knowing, squinting eye.
M huffs a laugh, moves to hold that very hand, and shrugs.
“I think i’ll live.”
He tenses up at the sudden touch and flinches slightly. M frowns. They knew xe didn’t like touch, of course they did, but they still wanted E to feel safe. Etho, though, doesn’t pull away, too tired to even care. Xe lay back down and close xer eye as Max continues to hold his hand.
M starts to slowly and gently rub their thumb against the back of E’s hand, making him relax slightly into his pillow.
M smiles.
If they squinted hard enough, they could swear there was a faint blush planted on his face.
Max chuckles and stops rubbing his hand momentarily.
“Do you need me to get you anything, E?”
They say, sweetly
Etho shakes his head slowly, not looking at M beside xem.
Max sighs and gets up anyways, releasing their hold on xer hand.
“Well, I’m gonna get you some water, anyways. You need it.”
E grunts at this, refusing to voice why this upsets him.
M huffs a small laugh, and starts their way to the door, stopping before they turn the knob.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be back shortly.”
Etho’s eye widens at this, shocked. No way Max can sense his emotions that easily.
No. chance.
M gives xem a short glance and sighs before leaving to fetch him some water. Etho groans once more, (can he stfu already oh my days) flipping over to face the door, impatient. Xer mind wanders a bit as xe wait for Max to return.
Did their tethering allow them to notice the other’s feelings better? That had to be it… He’s not THAT easy to read…
right?…
he can only hope that’s the truth as he pushes down the lump in xer throat and clutches xer chest.
…
The same polite knock can be heard shortly after Etho’s spiral, lifting his spirits almost instantly.
One,
Two,
Three knocks, seemingly the same pattern as before.
“Come in…” he says, voice still a hoarse whisper.
The door swings open, and Max struts in once again, water in hand.
“Miss me?” They say, teasingly.
Etho, unable to hide xer smile, flips over and grumbles, ignoring the soft laughter behind him.
“Oh come on, I was just joking.” E resists the want to roll xer eye, and turns back over to face them.
Max’s soft smile makes the room instantly brighter, despite the looming darkness surrounding them. It was breathtaking in xer delirious eye. However, before E can push these thoughts away, M lays the glass down on the side table and kneels down in front of him, same as before.
This time, though, they reach their hand up to rest on E’s cheek, stroking it gently.
Instead of the same jerking motion Etho displayed at the touch earlier, xe melt into it immediately.
A soft hitch of the breath can be heard beside xem, displaying M’s surprise at the acceptance of their affection.
His face was soft and warm under the finger pads of their hand, almost silky.
Max couldn’t stop the toothy grin creeping across their face at the scene before them.
“God,”
they thought, “Xe must really be sick if xe were acting like this…”
this small revelation makes M’s smile falter slightly. Before their mouth could fully turn downwards, though, Etho opens his eye, staring directly at them.
The soft and gentle gaze that lingered on their face made their heart jump to their throat. They stopped stroking xer face in shock for just a moment, which in turn got a noise of displeasure from Etho. Max exhaled in disbelief as E went to hold the hand on his face with his own.
“Etho,” they mumbled, “what is up with you today?” Xe didn’t dare answer this, knowing full well that xer sickness was not the only reason for the affection xe were displaying.
“Nothing..” He mutters, voice now muffled as he turns xer face to the palm of their hand, eye fluttering shut.
Max couldn’t believe it. The stoic, bitch of a thing, who always snapped back and argued about the smallest things, was longing for the touch of them.
This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. In no universe would Etho be this easily defeated. This had to be a dream- A really good one, too. M sighed as the tension in their shoulders fell, relishing in this moment.
…
“Etho,” Max whispers, “my knees are fucking killing me.”
E grumbles and refuses to let go, gripping their hand tighter.
M smiles at this despite the aching pain in their legs.
“Etho.”
E sighs and pouts, letting go hesitantly.
A soft chuckle escapes Max’s mouth as they stand, reaching for the glass beside them.
“E,” they say, tenderly, “I’m gonna need you to sit up for me, okay?”
He pauses briefly before nodding and pushes himself up to face them.
M places a hand on xer back to prop xem up, and tips the water into his mouth.
Etho finishes drinking, and M sets down the glass beside him.
“You don’t have to treat me like a child, by the way…” Etho’s voice was slightly less raspy now, but the words still held the same meaning:
“I can take care of myself, idiot. Why are you being so stubborn?” M smirks at his comment, and places their hand on their hip. “You could have told me that before I did it, you know.” E roles xer eye.
“Whatever…” he says, turning so his face is looking up at the ceiling. Xe sigh, shivering slightly. M notices this, and decides to comment on the alarming behavior.
“Chills?”
He nods, pulling the blanket up to xer shoulders. Right as he does, though, M takes the covers back off xem, causing Etho to sit up and glare at them with both confusion and annoyance.
“Uh, fuck you?”
M wags their finger at him. (xe fucking HATE when they do that)
“Don’t give me that attitude! You’re just gonna make your fever go up if you have that many layers on!” E reminds xemself to stop letting Max have access to health and science books.
He rolls his eye for the 15th time, and crosses his arms.
“Well? What do you expect me to do then? I’m freezing over here.”
The small pout that found its way across xer face was adorable to say the least. Max sighs and mumbles to themself. “I can’t believe I’m doing this…”
They climb their way into bed next to Etho and hug xer side, wrapping their arms around his waist. E flinches and scrambles to get out of their embrace.
“WHAT THE FUCK, MAX?!? L-LET GO OF ME!!!” Etho wriggles around in their grasp, but is too weak to escape.
“If you just- fuck!-“
they get an elbow to the cheek.
“If you would just- let me- hold you properly!!!” They say, voice strained.
Their hold tightens on him, and E struggles one last time before giving up and going limp in their arms.
Max sighs and loosens their grip at this.
“There you go… See? It’s not the end of the world after all.” Etho was now laying with xer head on M’s chest, arms tucked in, and legs pulled tightly up to xer elbows as they lay against them.
“Shut up…” Xe mumble.
Max’s arms were wrapped around the other’s midriff, gently holding him in place. They sigh, and remove one of their arms from E’s stomach and lift it to xer shoulder, laying it there and massaging it tenderly. Etho’s tension melts completely despite his earlier struggle, and makes a noise of contentment as the wave of exhaustion hits xem once more.
Suddenly, another chill strikes xem, and xe start to shift uncomfortably in their arms. Max raises an eyebrow in confusion.
“Etho? Are you all right?..”
He shakes his head.
M frowns and continues to stroke his shoulder softly, pulling xem in closer to their chest. Xe could practically hear the vibrations Max’s voice made, being this close to them and all.
“What’s wrong?…”
E hums in thought before sighing.
“Still cold…” he says at last.
Max chuckles, the sensation making Etho’s head bounce up and down slightly against their ribcage.
“Well, if you want me to, I can-“ E’s weight shifts on top of them.
“Oh.”
Etho was now completely pressed up against Max, head in the crook of their neck and arms slung around their shoulders.
“E-Etho?…” M manages.
E ignores them and wraps xer lags around their waist, squeezing them gently and rubbing xer face sleepily against the other’s smooth skin. He could practically feel M’s heartbeat from how close they were, and it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.
…
Max was about to fucking explode.
They swear their heart was pulsating so rapidly that they would blow any second now.
“Fuck.” They whisper, terrified and exhilarated.
M looks down at E for just a moment, before deciding what to do.
Shakily, they swallow the lump in their throat and start to slowly, painstakingly move their arms to E’s back, holding him there while gliding their palms along xer spine.
Etho shivers once more, but not from xer fever.
It doesn’t take long for him to fold inevitably under the touch, (shocker), completely relaxed as xer back is gently rubbed in a rhythmic motion. He tries (and fails) to resist the creeping contentment making its way through xer throat, embarrassed each time it succeeds in escaping xer mouth.
Max chuckles and moves one of their hands from xer back to his neck, continuing their soft, stroking motions on his smooth, clammy flesh. Wether the sweat was from his fever or his embarrassment, Max couldn’t tell, they could only stare into space as they held E in their arms.
Suddenly, E sighed and began to speak.
“This is so stupid…”
M scoffs, but no malice could be found behind it.
“It really isn’t. You’re sick and you need comfort.”
They lean back into the pillow, pulling Etho down with them.
He lets out a shocked noise, but doesn’t complain as xe readjust xemself and get comfortable once more.
Max hums softly in response.
“It’s not dumb to want to be cared for, ya’know. You’re like, my best friend and it hurts me to see you like this.”
Etho’s breath hitches slightly, lifting his head up to stare at M in surprise.
Xe swallow the small lump in xer throat before opening his mouth.
“I- I’m your best friend?…”
His voice was barely audible as he struggled to keep his head up.
Was this comment the product of xer delirious fever or his inability to think xe were worthy enough to be loved? Xe couldn’t say for sure.
Max’s eyebrow cocks up in amusement, oblivious to E’s crisis within.
A small huff escapes them as they look into E’s stunned eye.
“Of course you are, Etho. Who else?”
They bring their hand to his face once more and stroke it lovingly, locking non-existent eyes with xem.
E freezes in place at their sudden touch and words of endearment. Xe were practically paralyzed as M cupped xer face with such gentle affection, far softer than he was expecting.
Love.
unadulterated love filled his heart, completely lost in the moment.
But it couldn’t last.
It wouldn’t last.
Nothing ever did.
There was no way they were serious.
There was no way Max actually loved him.
Xer stomach drops as xe start to wonder what he had ever done to deserve someone like them.
Etho wasn’t lovable, he wasn’t worthy- he didn’t- deserve to be adored so purely and completely.
He never would be.
And xe knew this to be true.
“You don’t have to lie to me,” They mumble.
Max perks up.
“I know you’re just… trying to make me feel better…”
M furrows their brow, completely baffled.
“What?- no-“
They sit up slightly, releasing their hold on his face, and grabs his shoulders firmly.
“Etho, what the hell are you talking about?…”
Xe laugh dryly, but it’s empty and full of pain.
“Just because I’m sick or- or whatever- doesn’t mean you have to… lie to me… I know I’m just dead weight to you…”
Max sits there, stunned.
Etho gently grabs onto their wrists and holds them there as M sits in dumbfounded silence, a weary smile on xer face.
“It’s okay, Max… I know my worth, and…”
He shrugs.
“I’ve come to terms with it, so to say…”
Max doesn’t say a thing, completely at a loss for words.
Etho stares at them, confused at their sudden silence.
“Max?- a-are you oka-“
“What the actual fuck did you just say to me?”
Their grip on xer shoulders tighten.
E flinches at the angry sharpness in their voice and the sudden tightness on his skin.
“H-huh?-“
M cuts them off, pushing Etho off of them so now they were both sitting upright.
“What. The fuck. did you just say to me?!”
E glances around anxiously, beyond confused on what was happening.
“I- what?…”
He stammers, terrified as Max looms over him.
“Don’t you dare say that self-loathing bullshit ever again.”
Etho can only sit in shock as M continues their rambling.
“M-max…-“
They cut him off.
“NO- listen to me, Etho!- You… you have no fucking idea how much you mean to me!!”
They grab xer face once more, this time more aggressive.
I- I don’t care if we were tethered at birth- I don’t care that we practically feed of each other like raging parasites!- you mean the world too me!- No!- you are my world!!!”
They start to tremble slightly and their breathing turns ragged as they choke on their words.
“Don’t you get that?? Don’t you see?!? I would spend the rest of my goddamn life with you, taking care of you every chance I get- proving to you that you are worthy!- that you’re worthy of life!- th-that you’re worthy of love!… my love!!!”
E’s massive eye starts to fog up, tears clinging to his eyelid, body shaking slightly.
M’s breath hitches and they swallow their earlier aggression at seeing xer overwhelmed face.
They exhale, breathing shakily to calm themself down.
“Fuck.” They whisper, bracing for the inevitable.
“I-what I’m trying to say is-“ They sigh.
“…I love you, Etho…”
Etho stops trembling and squeaks out a response, voice cracking slightly.
“What?”
Max smiles, and goes to reach for his hands.
“I love you. More than you can possibly imagine. I couldn’t live without you…”
They pause.
“literally.”
E blinks.
“BAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!”
Etho, feverish and In shock, bursts out laughing. Not a mocking laugh, a true, absolutely smitten one.
Max is quick to join in on xer laughter, until their voice is suddenly muffled by Etho’s apparently invisible mouth.
Max jolts up in surprise, face flushing in an instant. (They have yellow blush because I say so. Fuck you.)
Still, they melt into it completely.
A sound of pleasure reaches E’s lips as he feels M return the kiss.
They cup xer face in a tender hold, pulling xem back down to the mattress in pure bliss.
E returns the embrace, wrapping his arms around their back, squeezing them slightly, legs entangled together.
Good gods, Etho was a horrible kisser.
Genuinely, was it because xe were sick or was it because Etho had horrible fucking depth perception and couldn’t actually see for shit?
“Fuck it,” thought M, “we ball regardless.”
…
The kiss was sweet, not rough in any sense, just complete love and adoration for one another.
E reluctantly pulls away from the intimacy, and stares down at Max with affection so great they could practically feel it in their bones.
Etho’s eye suddenly shoots open in realization, though, no longer entranced by the touch.
“Dude.”
Xe pause.
“That was gay as hell.”
Max, drunk on love, giggles and slings their arms around xer neck, cocking an eyebrow slightly.
“No shit?”
Etho roles his eye, but quickly finds himself panicking, xer aloof facade fading as xe stare at M’s lovestruck face.
“Uhhhhh…”
He clears his throat.
“What happens now?…”
Max suppresses their laugh as best they can seeing E’s tough guy personality be shot down instantly at the slightest vulnerability.
Great heavens xer face was red.
M snickers and hums softly in thought.
“We could kiss again…”
They pretend to wrack their brain for another option.
“Or you could like, let me bite you.”
E blinks in confusion, but reddens anyways.
“WHY IS THAT THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO YOUR MIND YOU FREAK?!?!?”
Max giggles and starts chomping their teeth together like a bloodthirsty shark, inching their face closer to E’s while doing so.
“Nam nom nom”
Etho pushes himself off of them and crosses xer arms in mock offense, mumbling to xerself.
Max rolls their non-existent eyes and makes their way over to him, climbing onto the other’s lap.
Etho makes a sound of protest, but before he can get a word out, Max kisses him again.
He tries to fight back, but fails miserably as he feels xemself completely give way once more.
God, xe were hopeless.
Max pulls away shortly after and starts to pepper E’s face and neck with small pecks, giggling against his skin.
Etho holds his hand over xer mouth, trying to choke down his amusement.
“M-max! You- bitch!”
Max gives no response as they continue to kiss him.
Unable to hold it in any longer, E bursts out in a fit of laughter.
“F-fuck! BAHAHA!!!! I hope- I hope you catch whatever the fuck I have you dick!- BAHAHA STOP IT!!!!”
M smiles against xer neck as they drink in E’s laughter, relishing in this new found feeling.
They were in love, completely and utterly. They were so hopelessly gone for the one that was cursed to live as their missing piece, doomed to never be their own. But here they were, choosing to be whole, filling the void that would have forever separated them otherwise. Yin and Yang, forever the opposite, yet so closely the same. Together, whole, and forever, one.