еthduьs rpf brainrot ... ьdubs travels to canada to see еtho for christmas. its been in the works for ages, many long nights spent talking logistics and fears, but now its a reality. ьdubs is practically buzzing with excitement as he boards the plane, and he can barely contain himself when he's walking through the airport. they agreed to meet at еthos home to limit the chance of anyon recognizing ьdubs.
when he gets there and sees еtho, he's breathless.
he remembers a conversation both of them had. how insecure еtho was about how he looked, how he couldn't reveal himself to anyone out of fear of disappointing millions of people, the detrimental anxiety at people knowing who he is in public and just being able to snap a picture of him.
but when ьdubs sees him, he just doesn't get it. because еtho is drop dead gorgeous.
the hair, glasses, and overall frame was about how he expected, but the face was a different story. a beautifully strong nose was the center of his face, his dark eyes squished as he smiled, and his beard looking properly trimmed, no doubt just for ьdubs. he was nervously fidgeting with his hands, bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"hey...you."
and ьdubs has never ran so fast in his entire life. he nearly knocks the poor man over as they spin in ьdubs embrace. he's cackling hard and soon еtho starts to giggle too, hugging him back and leaning all his weight onto him.
they stay like that for longer than they mean to until еtho invites him inside.
that night is spent talking and reminiscing on old times, maybe teasing the other hermits on an impromptu discord call as well, having ьdubs sit at еthos setup and talk as him through his account, which sparked some very funny reactions from everyone.
over the next few days, they're out enjoying whatever canada and еtho has to offer them. and over the next few days, ьdubs finds himself feeling a little ... different, about еtho.
he likes еtho. he likes him platonically, and maybe once a few years ago, he had some romantic feelings come and go. but maybe they never left, because how else can he explain the fuzzy feeling in his chest when he stares at the man he's known for 10 years and hasn't ever seen in person.
"you're— stop staring at me, you weirdo." еtho hides his face behind his jacket, giggling to himself. "i know im ugly but seesh!"
"you're hot, dude." he says it without really thinking about it, but he doesn't backtrack. not even when his eyes widen behind the barrier of cloth, of when the tips of his ears flush impossibly deep and he resorts to hiding behind his hands, giggling all the while.
how else could he explain the lingering touches whenever their hands brush together in the streets. the way their hugs last seconds too long, arms wrapping around themselves in places that could be misconstrued as anything but friendly. their teasing arguments lasting for hours, something a married couple would do.
he tries to deny it at all. he's married, for fuck sake, he can't be doing this. it shouldn't be happening. so he pushes it deep down, ignoring that heat brewing in his chest as he waits for his flight back home, time could not pass any quicker.