"Go!"

The small island erupted in laughter as hermits dove into the ocean in all directions. Some were eager to set off at the start of the new season, jumping in with their clothes on, while others elected to wait on the island for their friends to find wood and bring them boats. Bdubs was one of the first group, promising Keralis that he'd come back with a boat shortly.

Bdubs did his best to hurry, throwing together a boat as soon as he found trees along a nearby shore. He rowed back to the spawn island in a few short minutes, thankful he had kept up his workout routine over the years. Keralis clambered into his boat gratefully, planting a kiss in Bdubs' hair as he sat down. "Thank you Bubbles!"

"Ha, no problem," Bdubs mumbled. He should be used to Keralis' physical affection by now, but he never failed to blush when Keralis would squish his cheeks, or hug him, or call him angel face, or-

"Bubbles, we need to sleep soon." Keralis' grip around Bdubs' waist tightened slightly.

Pulling himself out of his thoughts, Bdubs noted that the sun was already starting to dip below the horizon. "You're right. We'd better pull over right here for now." Bdubs' skillfully scuttled them onto the nearest sandy beach, pulling the boat in to safety as Keralis began digging a small hole into the cliff side. The pair clambered inside as the sound of zombie groans began to grow louder from the forest, sealing the entrance off completely.

"Alright Bubbles, you're the sleep master. You got beds, right?" Keralis asked surely. He struck a torch, and his expectant eyes glimmered in the flickering light, boring into Bdubs' guilty face.

"I... may only have one bed?" He procured the white bed bashfully. He hadn't planned to make a bed for Keralis too...

To Bdubs' surprise, Keralis beamed, setting the torch in the corner. "Excellent! Thank you Bubbles, you're amazing!" He flopped onto the bed, snuggling in despite it's obviously shabby construction.

"Oh, uh, yep. That's perfect, you enjoy the bed and I'll just, chill over here I guess." Bdubs chuckled awkwardly, settling into the corner on the cave. It would be a long night like this, but it was only one night, and Keralis obviously deserved the bed.

"Bubbles, are you going to sleep or not?" Keralis expectantly patted the bed next to him, and Bdubs felt his face heat up instantly.

"I mean if you think we can both fit? It- It's not a very big bed?" Bdubs cleared his throat, trying very hard to avoid thinking about sharing a bed with Keralis. It wasn't like they hadn't had sleepovers before, but something about sharing the bed as opposed to sleeping on the floor was far more intimate in Bdubs' mind. Clearly Keralis didn't give it a second thought, as he begged Bdubs to join him with large puppydog eyes.

"Of course we can fit! We'll have to snuggle, but that's the best way to do it, no?" Keralis said with a wink as Bdubs sat on the opposite side of the bed.

"So true," He mumbled. Despite Bdubs' mind racing, he managed to get some sleep, and he woke with Keralis hugging tightly to his chest, a content smile on his face. Bdubs couldn't help but brush a stray strand of hair out of his face, smiling as Keralis slowly woke up. He yawned, rolling into a sitting position and beginning to stretch his arms, so Bdubs sat up as well. Keralis didn't seem bothered by the fact he was snuggling Bdubs in his sleep, so he ignored it, packing his items to keep himself busy. He remembered how easily he got distracted by Keralis last season, but something about the thrill of a new season had Bdubs on high alert. He wouldn't call it a crush per say, but there was certainly some sort of infatuation that Bdubs couldn't deny, no matter how oblivious Keralis seemed to all of it. "Well, let's head out!"

The rest of the morning was spent boating to the location of Bdubs' new home, which was going to be his half of Grian's mansion. Keralis offered to help him build it, so the two set to work gathering resources as soon as they arrived. It was just like last season; the two of them together, working in tandem as they built higher and higher. Keralis offered to start a tree farm, so Bdubs accepted, continuing to build the third floor while Keralis chopped trees below. Being so high up was scary for Keralis, but Bdubs found it peaceful.

Keralis was very sweet to help Bdubs build his house, so he had to offer a gift in return. What could Bdubs offer him that would show just how much Bdubs cared about him? A cake was obviously too boring. A gift box could be nice, but everything that Bdubs had to offer, Keralis already had; it was too early in the season to offer anything too big. What about helping Keralis build his base when he started? It was pretty straightforward, but it did mean they could spend more time together.

Bdubs placed the last block on the roof and groaned, tossing his handful of wood planks to the floor and flopping over. He couldn't believe he finished it already, considering how distracted he was by thinking about Keralis. There was just something about the way Keralis smiled, the way he laughed, his build style, his endless generosity... Bdubs dragged a hand down his face. How could he keep saying he didn't like Keralis when he clearly did? There was no way he could talk to him about that right now though; it was the start of a new season, and they both had enough on their plate already. This was unbearable.

"Bubbles, it's night time! Come sleep with me!" Keralis' sweet voice floated through Bdubs' brain, and he nearly melted at the thought of sharing a bed with Keralis again. He clambered down to the main floor carefully, being sure his heart had stopped racing so Keralis wouldn't notice.

"Guess what! Tango came over and built a bedroom while you were upstairs! Isn't that nice!" Keralis cheered, taking Bdubs by the hands and dragging him downstairs. The basement was in fact transformed into a beautiful bedroom, and Bdubs knew he had to thank Tango as soon as possible.

Thankfully Tango had built a queen sized bed, so the pair clambered into bed with plenty of extra room. Bdubs drifted to sleep with images of Keralis dancing in his brain, which was only enhanced when he woke up the next morning. He took a deep breath, smiling when he realized Keralis was curled up in his arms again. He smelled like berries, his hair was perfectly soft, his face was relaxed and serene. Bdubs could get used to this view every morning.

"Bdubs?" A whisper alerted Bdubs that Keralis had woken up, and they locked eyes, making Bdubs blush. "Good morning sweet face."

"Morning angel, ready to build your base today?"

"Mmm, I'm so tired though..." Keralis stretched, pulling away.

"Well let's make some breakfast and we'll see how you're feeling then, hm?" Bdubs hopped out of bed and offered Keralis a hand, which he accepted with a giggle. They went upstairs hand in hand to Bdubs delight, but as they walked into the kitchen he realized a problem. "We haven't unpacked yet..."

"Oh. Right. No pancake breakfast then," Keralis pouted.

"Yeah. Looks like we've got some apples I picked yesterday, so that's something." Bdubs offered the apple to Keralis, which he accepted sadly.

"Let's finish getting you moved in here first, okay Bubbles? My house can wait."

"Wait, really? But you need somewhere to live!"

"I'll just live with you! If that's okay with you of course," Keralis giggled. "It should only take a day or two."

"No, yeah! That's a great idea!" Bdubs exclaimed. He hoped he didn't sound too eager.

"Oh Bubbles! I heard morning is the best time to find bees, can we go look?"

"Yeah, some honey could be nice-" Keralis leapt to his feet, leaving Bdubs to chase him out of the house. They were both stopped in their tracks however, as they stood in the shadow of the building that had popped up overnight, which looked suspiciously like the other half of Bdubs' house.

"Well hello neighbors," Doc waved with a chuckle. "What are you doing up this early?"

Bdubs bristled with anger at Docs toothy grin, but thankfully Keralis spoke up before Bdubs said something he regretted. "We're going bee-hunting! I'm so excited!" Keralis cheered.

"Oh those little things? You can have them all. Since I'm the goat this season, I'm focusing on bigger things, but you two have fun with your bugs."

"Hey! Bees are super valuable, and don't you tell Keralis otherwise!" Bdubs barked, stepping in front of Keralis unconsciously. "You'll regret those words!"

Doc's eyes narrowed as his mouth curled into a smirk. "I see. Well, good luck on your hunt, neighbors."

Bdubs grabbed Keralis' hand and stormed into the forest, not slowing until the houses were out of sight. "Sorry about that Ker, I dunno what was wrong with him."

"Bubbles let's hurry! We're going to miss the bees!" Keralis didn't seem to mind the confrontation at all, so they set to work hunting for bees.

- -

The next few days blew by, with Keralis and Bdubs spending every moment side by side. It didn't take them very long to unpack everything into the storage room in the attic, so they spent a lot of time decorating. They both had such similar taste in decor, they danced around each other, build styles blending flawlessly into the most beautiful house Bdubs had ever seen. Not to mention, with all the time they spent together Bdubs had time to sort through his emotions. He had managed to deny it all of last season, but there was no denying his love anymore. Every moment spent with Keralis was pure bliss. His biggest issue now was figuring out how to talk to Keralis about it. Bdubs would be the first to admit he was terrible at talking; Sometimes he wondered if English was even his first language. Not to mention, just looking at Keralis made him breathless. There was no way it would go well if he tried to confess.

"Bubbles, there's a present here!" Keralis' voice startled Bdubs out of his thoughts, and he hurried outside, thankful for the distraction from his thoughts.

Stepping into the yard indeed revealed that a portion of the fence had been opened, with a sign that read, free honey, hunnies.

"Look Bubbles, look!" Keralis beamed, bouncing on his toes. Bdubs peered through the hole in the fence and indeed, there seemed to be a gift. A small garden was placed in front of the window, with a beehive sitting front and center. "It's for us!"

"It sure looks like it huh?" Bdubs followed Keralis around the fence more hesitantly. Why would Doc leave them a beehive on his side of the fence?

"Bubbles can we keep it? Please? OH BUBBLES!! He's named BeeDoubleO100! I love him!" Keralis squealed, petting the air next to the very confused bee.

"Well if it's named after me I guess it really is for us!" Bdubs relented. Keralis beamed, melting Bdubs' heart a little. He waited until the bee flew into the hive before carefully creeping up and punching it slowly. It was all going just fine until the hive broke, dissolving into nothing and leaving a very angry bee in its place.

Keralis let out a cry, leaping back as the bee started chasing him down. "Keralis! Get back!" Bdubs shouted, and he was thankful that Keralis actually listened, running and hiding behind his back. With Keralis behind him, Bdubs felt his bravery swell, and he stood tall in the face of the oncoming bee. He didn't want to kill the thing, so he carefully hit it with the handle of his axe, stunning the bee slightly. He tossed a lead around it, and by the time the bee came to his senses, he had calmed down, and looked at Bdubs curiously.

"Bubbles that was amazing! You're my hero!" Keralis cheered.

"I- heh, well I- no problem ang- Keralis," Bdubs fumbled, but Keralis didn't notice, completely entranced by the bee. You wouldn't have known the creature was angry moments ago based on the way it snuggled into Keralis' neck happily. Keralis giggled, pressing kisses all over its face, and Bdubs couldn't help but imagine himself receiving those kisses.

"Bubbles, he's so fluffy! Let's take him home!" Keralis took the lead from his hand and skipped back to their house humming a cheery tune. The rest of the day was spent playing and snuggling with BeeDoubleO100.

- -

Dearest Keralis, I'm at the commercial district, but I'll be home soon!
<3 Bubbles

Bdubs worried the heart was a little forward, but decided to leave it. He wanted to get back before Keralis woke up, so he needed to hurry. As Bdubs walked out of the house he checked his pockets, making sure he had his axe, a bed, a clock, and some diamonds. He wasn't sure how many shops were open this early in the season, but he really needed some silk touch, so he figured he should go check.

"I see you two enjoyed my little gift, hm?" Doc's smooth voice startled Bdubs out of his thoughts. He was leaning against the fence, a wide grin splitting his face.

"Yeah, what about it?" Bdubs tightened his grip on his axe.

Doc stood up, slowly walking towards where Bdubs stood. "You were sure brave defending Keralis like that. Like a brave knight defending his prince."

Bdubs felt heat rising to his cheeks. "I don't see your point."

"I've seen the way you look at him. You've fallen hard bro, I've never seen you so lovestruck!" Doc laughed.

Bdubs huffed, crossing his arms. "Get to the point man."

Do slung an arm around his shoulders. "I'm just saying, if Keralis got into trouble with the mafia, he'd probably fall in love with whoever saved him," Doc drawled with a smug grin.

Bdubs shrugged off his arm and started stalking away. "Don't touch Keralis and we won't have a problem, got it?" He growled. He heard Doc chuckle, but he didn't turn around. He needed to get to the commercial district.

- -

The next week was spent hanging out around the house, but Bdubs never dropped his guard. Doc was one of his best friends, and he would never really hurt Keralis, but his words still stuck with him. At the moment, Keralis was curled into his side on the couch as they drifted off; they had gotten into the habit of taking an afternoon nap when they didn't have anything better to do. A gentle knock at the door broke the silence, and Keralis stretched like a cat. "I'll get the door baby."

Keralis rolled to his feet, yawning loudly as he stretched, then shuffled away to answer the door. Bdubs did his best to stay awake; he wanted to wait for Keralis to come back so they could fall asleep together, but he couldn't help it. He drifted off, but only for a few minutes.

The sun was still high in the sky when he woke up, but he instantly noticed Keralis wasn't on the couch with him. It all came flooding back to him at once, and he leapt to his feet with a shot of adrenaline. He disregarded the door altogether, leaping out the side of the house and bolting straight to Doc's house. He knew he never should have trusted Doc for half a second, of course it was Doc at the door. If Doc so much as looked at Keralis wrong, Bdubs would-

A strange doorway that Bdubs didn't recognize caught his eye, and he instantly knew that was the place he had taken Keralis. Creeping down the stairs, Bdubs was unnerved. A shiver crawled down his spine, and he wasn't sure if it was the vibes or the cool air as he crept into the basement. As he reached the bottom, he was almost too nervous to peer into the room, afraid of what he might see- or not see, depending on how things went. Though, as he hesitated outside the room, he heard someone break out into annoyed complaints, which he instantly recognized as his prince. Another shot of adrenaline shot through his veins, and he gathered the courage to burst into the room, a growl rumbling in the back of his throat.

As expected, Keralis was in the room, but somewhat unexpectedly he was sat at a slot machine, grumbling quietly as he lost over and over again. The room was warm, carpeted with soft red rugs under tables and game machines. There were a few bare armor stands posed around the space, with several shulker boxes resting nearby; obviously Cleo was in the process of decorating the area. Bdubs quickly took in all the details, but his gaze returned to Keralis, with Doc hovering over his shoulder. Bdubs' growl must have been louder than he realized, because Doc's attention was drawn away from Keralis, and he locked eyes with Bdubs with a grin.

"Hello Bdubs, fancy meeting you here."

"I- y- why you-!" Bdubs stammered. Finally, Keralis was drawn away from his game, and his eyes lit up as he spotted Bdubs.

"Bubbles! Doc invited me to try his casino!"

"Ker- I thought we were taking a nap.." Bdubs' anger fizzled as the silly excuse passed his lips. He could feel his cheeks heating up as Doc's grin widened.

"I'm sorry Bubbles, but you know I couldn't resist!" Keralis pouted, making Bdubs flush even more.

"Yeah Bdubs, he's just helping a friend. What's wrong with that?" Doc winked with a friendly smile, and suddenly Bdubs realized it was all a ploy. While on some level he appreciated the help from his friend, he was mostly annoyed by something else.

"Keralis, how long have you been here? Have you won even once? Is Doc making you pay for this?"

Keralis hesitated. "Yes, that's how gambling works. But, you're right, I haven't won this whole time..."

"Aha! I'm right! Doc is scamming you! C'mon Keralis, we're leaving!"

"But Keralis was just about to win, I'm sure of it." Doc resisted, but it was clearly a weak effort. Keralis looked between the two uncertainly.

"Whatever man, I'll beat you up in a heartbeat! C'mon Ker, let's go home." Bdubs held out his hand, and Keralis bounded over to him, glaring at Doc as he took hold of Bdubs' hand. As they left, Bdubs sent Doc a begrudgingly thankful glance, and Doc nodded happily.

Once they made it back to their side of the fence, Bdubs risked another glance at Keralis. His gaze was locked on the ground with an expression Bdubs couldn't quite decipher, which worried him. Was Keralis upset that Bdubs pulled him away from his game? He knew Keralis could get addicted to gambling games easily. Did Doc say something to him while he was down there? Oh good heavens, did Doc tell him about his crush? He appreciated Doc's help trying to make Keralis fall for him, but not like this! If Doc told Keralis and then Bdubs didn't confess, he would look like a coward and Keralis wouldn't like him, but if Doc didn't say anything, Bdubs didn't want to confess at all! He didn't want to ruin what they already had in a friendship if he didn't need to, but if Doc had already spoiled it, then...

Keralis looked up, catching Bdubs staring at him, so he looked away quickly. Keralis stopped walking, and Bdubs stopped beside him, too nervous to look back at his face again. A gentle hand caressed his cheek, pulling his chin to look up at him. As soon as they locked eyes, Bdubs felt his face heat up, betraying his feelings without his permission. Keralis smiled softly, and Bdubs could feel his heart skip a beat. He and Keralis didn't tend to have much personal space in their friendship, but something about the way Keralis was looking at him right now, holding his cheek gently, made Bdubs feel like they were in a small box, their breath mingling between them.

"Bdubs? What's wrong?" Keralis murmured, sending chills down Bdubs' spine.

"W- I jus- just- did he- cause I-" Bdubs let out a nervous laugh, looking anywhere but Keralis' intense gaze.

"Do you want to kiss me?"

Bdubs' heart leapt out of his chest, and he was sure Keralis could feel the anxiety coming from him in waves. "I- heh, well-"

"Can I kiss you?"

It took a moment for the words to process, Bdubs' mind racing with any reason Keralis would pull this kind of prank. It was a moment that felt like eternity, as they started into each other's eyes, leaning in slowly until their lips connected gently. It was a soft, loving kiss that lasted a second and an eternity all at once. When Keralis pulled back, Bdubs already found himself longing for Keralis' warmth.

"You have no idea how much I love you," he breathed.

"Mmm, I think I know how you can show me," Keralis hummed with a content grin. He gripped Bdubs' shirt, pulling them together for a more eager kiss. As they stood there out on their lawn, any number of hermits could have flown in on them, but they truly couldn't care less; as long as they were together, it was sure to work out.

I've been slowly writing this for probably 6 months, but I'm happy with the way it finally ended! Kerdubs is a blessing and I need more content for them 🙏

Love you, my little stars!
-RaeTheStar