just two guys, cursed by a god to be eternally bound by their souls
One of the main contributers to Joel and Etho's dynamic in this AU is the supposed familiarity (or lack thereof) each of them has with their curses and the soul god. Etho first picked up that stupid dagger over a decade before the story begins, he's been living with it for a large part of his life. After feeling forced to leave his family because of the bloodlust, and travelling for years trying desperately to find a way to break the curse or get rid of the dagger, Etho's jaded. He's... given up, and is trying to be content with the quiet life he's built in this tiny island village. He's got friends! A friend! The bloodlust has been pretty quiet! The soul god is probably busy doing other things, pestering other victims. He's scared of upsetting this small sanctuary he's built, even if that upset may lead him back to his home and his family.
Then along comes Joel, freshly cursed, shipwrecked, and stubborn as fuck. Joel's got a loyal crew to get back to, a wife, people he's promised to protect. He may not have had much, but he had them, and he'll do anything to get back (Etho thought he'd do the same, once, but then again, he ran away willingly). And in some twisted move on the soul god's part, they're tied together! Feel everything the other does, can't get much more than half a kilometre away from the other before they double over in pain on the verge of death.
Joel doesn't understand Etho yet, and Etho doesn't want Joel to understand him. Neither of them can get what they want without sacrificing the other's needs. It's almost like some higher power orchestrated this whole thing in an attempt to cause drama!
In the end, Etho's the one dragged along on adventure to reunite with Grian, Jimmy, and Lizzie. If he's secretly hoping Joel's quest will bring him closer to getting back to Cleo, Bdubs, and Beef, that's his business.
