Chapter Text
Bdubs loves his house. More accurately, he loves his wonderful Victorian style semi-detached house. It was a beautiful thing, three floors tall with ornate wood embellishments, a renovated shingled roof, expert masonry, bay windows, a sun room…Bdubs could go on. Not to mention the comfortable wooden porch which was a joint space for his and his neighbour’s entrances. Bdubs loves his neighbour. Correction, Bdubs used to love his neighbour. Now, he's a little unsure. Sweet old Ms. Jing was practically his own grandma, his closest confidant. They would have lunch in the front garden together, draw together, and gossip about the other neighbours together. Ms. Jing would stuff handfuls of dumplings, zhong, and buns into Bdubs’ arms, and Bdubs would return the favour with almond cookies and rolls. When Bdubs did some renovations in his kitchen, Ms. Jing welcomed him to stay in her guest room. When Bdubs noticed the paint peeling off of the brick facade on her half of the house, Bdubs repainted both sides a vibrant red, so the whole house looked cohesive.
A few months back, however, she had invited Bdubs over for tea, and broke the news that she was going to sell her half of the house. Her brother’s grandchildren wanted to spend more time with her, so she was moving back home for good. The house was sold shortly after, and with a teary goodbye, plenty of gifts exchanged, and promises to keep in touch, Bdubs was neighbourless.
Only a month after, he moved in. Bdubs is a good guy, so naturally, when he saw endless boxes of varying sizes and shapes piled up on the porch, he decided to knock on his neighbours door and say hi.
After a second round of knocking, someone finally answered the door. A tall man answered the door. Bdubs had learned from the realtor that his neighbour was around the same age as him, but he looked younger, maybe because he sure didn’t dress like your typical 38 year old (thank God! Some people could be so boring). He was wearing several layers of different fabrics all in khaki green, with belts, buckles, pockets and zippers all over his vest and flared pants. Fastened within these pockets and belts were tools and utensils, most notably a small hatchet that hung at his hips and a pocket knife at his chest. A very unusual sight for the metropolis, maybe he wasn’t a city dweller? Bdubs couldn’t remember the last time he had to chop some wood. The knit under his vest had a collar so high it obscured his mouth. He had long bleached silver hair tied loosely to the side, gauges in his ears, thin eyebrows, droopy eyes, and a long scar that ran across the right side of his face. He sort of reminded Bdubs of an old videogame character, but he couldn’t quite remember who. Despite his outwardly loud look, his neighbour didn’t say anything or make any discernible expression on his face. Bdubs realized if he didn’t speak up himself, it was gonna get awkward.
“Hi, I’m your neighbour! Name’s Bdubs, pleased to meet you. I say neighbour, but technically we share a house. So don’t be a stranger! Need any help with those boxes of yours?” Bdubs put on his big bright smile.
“Oh. I’m Etho. Thanks, but I don’t need help.”
“Well if you ever need anything, don’t be afraid to ask! And, come to my place sometime for tea,” said Bdubs, not sure what else to say. Time to go inside and forget about this awkward interaction.
➳➳➳
All was quiet and well until a few days later, when Bdubs got back home from his errands to see a teetering ladder as tall as the sky itself resting precariously against the house. On the right side –Etho’s side– a large blue tarp lay, covered in paint buckets of various sizes and colours. Bdubs cranned his neck, but seeing the top of the ladder wasn’t an easy feat. Etho came into view, perched on the ladder, meditatively brushing strokes of veridian green paint onto the facade of his side of the house.
“Hey!” Yelled Bdubs. “Could have consulted with the guy who owns 50 percent of that facade first you know! Not that I don’t like green or anything, but I kind of just painted the whole thing red just a couple years ago.” Bdubs was an easy going guy, but he really felt like he was losing it a bit. A half green half red house sounded like a total aesthetic nightmare!
Could his neighbour even hear him? He hadn't reacted at all to any of Bdubs’ words, or even acknowledged his presence for that matter. Bdubs squinted up only to make out the pair of wired earbuds in his ears. Blast it all! Bdubs tried yelling a couple more times, but decided to quit when the neighbour across the street shut their window loudly. Surely if Bdubs camped out down where all his paint cans were, eventually he’d notice him.
It took a little while, but when Etho reached the middle of the second floor, he’d run out of the paint he mixed. He swiftly descended the ladder, music blasting in his ears. He jumped out of his skin when he turned around and was met with a very close, very angry face. He was yelling something, but Etho couldn’t tell what. Perhaps he should pause his music. So much for his perfectly antisocial paint session.
“–and what's the hex code of that–is that an mp3 player? Who the heck even still has one of those?”
“Hmm? Oh yeah. Been using it for 20 years.” Etho replied, sneaking past Bdubs. He began to mix his paint while being berated by his neighbour about painting the house, pouring in the last of his small tin of magenta among 5 other colours and bases. He tested the colour over and over on the wall until the colour was exactly the same shade of green.
“Great. At least you know the recipe for the colour cause I sure don’t think even a professional could replicate all that sciency complicated mixing you just did. Anyways, next time make enough paint for my side too cause you know what? I give up. You might be ok with a half green house but I sure am not.”
“Hmm? Looks fine to me,” said Etho, stirring his pot of paint.
“Fine? You seriously don’t see the issue of this eye sore? Split down the middle, I ain’t living in a– a freaking clown house like that! So apologize by making me the same colour so our house doesn’t look ridiculous” Bdubs huffed.
Etho stopped his stirring, and turned around to face Bdubs. “Can’t.”
“Can’t why? Seems like you know what you’re doing.”
Etho picked up the empty magenta can, holding it towards Bdubs to take. “See this? It’s empty.” As Bdubs reached towards it, Etho turned it upside down, so that Bdubs grabbed at air. Etho seemed to find that funny because he seemed to be holding back laughter. Bdubs was not amused.
“Hey! Why don’t you just buy another can of that stuff?”
“Can’t,” Etho shrugged, “bought that can years ago. Read the label. You won’t find that anywhere anymore.” He looked Bdubs in the eye, like he was challenging him.
Indeed, the brand of the paint had been discontinued years ago, but Bdubs found it hard to believe that it really had to be this specific brand. Plus, Etho had only used a fraction of it compared to all the other paints he mixed in, was it really that important? “Fine. If you’re not gonna do it, I’ll get my own magenta paint and mix it myself—you’ll reimburse me of course—and we’ll see.” Bdubs smirked. He’d always had a bit of a competitive streak and liked to make a game of things. His neighbour seemed to be of few words, and well, Bdubs was a people person so he had to try. “If I can get the colour right, you owe me dinner at your place.” Bdubs also happened to be a snooper. Nothing revealed more about a person than visiting their living space and tasting their cooking. Besides, he missed sitting at the kitchen island where he and Ms. Jing spent countless afternoons deep in discussions while making sweets.
Etho raised an eyebrow at this: “Oh, a game? Then what do I get if you can’t make the same colour?” Bdubs started to speak, but before he could get a sound out, Etho held up a finger to silence him. After some thought, he spoke. “You’ll go to the floriculture fair with me.”
Bdubs put on his inquisitive face.
“You know, flower festival. There’s one happening an hour’s train ride out of the city. This one’s more for hobbyists than commercial growers. We basically share a front garden, no? Oh, and you’ll bring your wallet.” Etho pulled the collar of his turtleneck down, revealing a crooked grin for a brief second. Honestly, he looked a little nervous.
Hmm. Bdubs was just a little bit happy his neighbour was also into gardening, and it all sounded great except for the ‘his wallet’ part. Oh well, a game isn’t fun without a little risk and consequence.
Bdubs held out his hand. “Deal. But just so you know, I do a little painting myself. I know my way around colours.” He couldn’t help but rile Etho up a little.
“Deal, but you’re a fool for thinking you can match this shade of green. Just give up, I’ve already won.” Etho replied back wryly.
What a screwball!
➳➳➳
Bdubs spent the rest of the weekend mixing paints. He managed to find a close shade to Etho’s magenta. He hated to admit it, but the shade was still just the slightest bit different. And now, he sat surrounded by paint cans on the porch. His facade was covered in swatches of various greens, but none seemed to match the colour on Etho’s side. Of course, Etho had gone and judged all his different swatches, rubbing it in that “nope! This one’s too light, this one’s too cold, this one looks more brown than green, this one’s too warm.” As he said this, his voice seemed to become slightly more animated, different from his tone when he’d first answered his door. Etho seemed to revel in Bdubs’ suffering. And Bdubs could not let him get away with this. Despite the battle the two were currently in, Bdubs was secretly happy. Happy that his new neighbour was warming up to him, even if just a little. Still, he seemed to be…not frosty, but detached, when Bdubs would try to make small talk.
It wasn’t lost on Bdubs that most of his friends were, uh…senior to him. I guess that just came with being as mature as he was. Just, to put it plainly, people his age were always caught up in the turbulence of life. Of their own lives. Wife this, kids that, work this, divorce that. Bdubs had no interest (believe him he tried!). Did that make him a little crazy? Maybe. But nothing beats going to senior only Bingo Night, where after showing up one night with Ms. Jing, they all took pity on him and let him join.
This, this was absolute freedom! Living in a multi storey house by himself. The dream. And yet, there was that feeling again. Deep in his universe of emotions. That small but ever-present emptiness only felt when he allowed himself to sit and relax for a moment.
“—Dubs. Bdubs! Are you there? You’ve got a terrible frown on your face.”
Oh right, he was mixing paint.
“I think that’s quite alright, don’t’cha think? ‘Should just get it over with and paint the whole thing, looks pretty close to me.” Etho bent down to inspect the paint, testing it with his finger as if it was a decadent sauce.
Well it was hard to feel sorry about himself when he had a whole house to paint. Bdubs worked swiftly, not wanting to dwell on his thoughts or spending even more time waiting for the swatch to dry. It was all a haze until his side was completely painted green. He stood back, and…yeup. It became apparent that his side was drying a completely different colour. Lovely line down the middle of the house. Not gonna drive Bdubs crazy at all. Nope. Bdubs wordlessly knocked on Etho’s door, beckoning him to judge him. All Etho did was shake his head.
The next day, Bdubs left the house only to see Etho had painted his door and wood trims purple. So much for a cohesive look. But the boldness of Etho’s colour choices intrigued him. Bdubs just had to take a peak inside. Blame his inner interior designer. Bdubs knocked on Etho’s door yet again. Eventually, Etho peered out of his purple door, hiding behind it as if it were a shield.
“Hi neighbour! Are you mostly moved in now?”
After a brief silence, Etho answered, “Eh, still got boxes around.”
“Well,” Bdubs grinned, “when you’re done unpacking those, when’s the house warming party?"
“House warming party?” Etho questioned in a tone that said ‘not happening.’
“Oh come on! Buying a house is a big deal! It's real grown up mature stuff. Plus, all of us neighbours are pretty close, all nice people!”
“Can’t.”
“Oh not this again! Why?”
Etho looked down, fidgeting with his sleeve before saying, “it’s nothing.” He moved to shut the door in Bdub’s face, but Bdubs shot out his foot to jam between the door.
“Wait! When I first introduced myself, I said you should come over for tea. Really, you should!” Etho still looked reluctant, so Bdubs continued, “Allow me to introduce the house and stuff! I’ve been living here for years! Gotta introduce you to all its quirks and boring maintenance stuff right?”
“I guess.” was a good enough answer. Etho’s eyes stared intently at Bdubs’ foot between the door frame impatiently. Finally, Bdubs backed away, and the door shut immediately.
➳➳➳
The next morning was spent baking almond cookies and tidying the house. Bdubs wanted to build a good foundation for his and his neighbour’s friendship (even though his neighbour was a bit of a brat), and that meant everything had to be perfect. It also had to be perfect because Bdubs needed to assert dominance. Showing that his half of the house was well taken care of, special, and cozy. There weren’t many things blooming at this time of year, but Bdubs still managed to put together a winter bouquet: mostly holly, boughs of cedar, and the dried seed pods of day lilies. He put on a thick, green, corded wool sweater and combed his hair back. He had just finished setting up his tea tray when he heard a small knock at his door.
He led Etho into the sun room which connected to the back porch and overlooked the garden and acted as a sort of living room. This was one of Bdubs’ favourite parts of the house, as it was covered in jarred and bottled terrariums, creeping house plants, and twisting bonsai. The furniture in the house were hand selected by Bdubs, all ornately handcrafted with beautiful hardwoods. Etho was wearing a similar outfit to last time, metal buckles jingling as he walked. Bdubs began to chat about the house and their neighbourhood among other things. He poured the man tea and offered him cookies, which he seemed to pay much more attention to than the neighbourhood rundown of who lived in what house and what they were like. Etho was more or less polite, but he didn’t initiate much conversation, and it was starting to feel like an interview with Bdubs asking questions. “...anyways, although I love being an interior designer, sometimes it really sucks when you get the wrong client. I die just a little when I have to design and style yet another millennial gray kitchen. Where’s the soul?” Bdubs complained.
Etho let out a small laugh, just air out his nose, really, but Bdubs was glad to hear it. “Maybe you’ll like what I’ve done to my place.” Etho said softly through mouthfuls of cookie and tea.
“Well you better let me see! I was real close with my previous neighbour, so I know what it used to look like before you moved in. I swear if you redo those beautiful cherry wood cabinets I’ll–”
“Etho held up his hands (one was holding a half eaten cookie), “Those are the only things I didn’t touch.”
“Let me visit some time, ‘kay? So I can judge you with my expert interior designer eyes.” Bdubs smiled confidently. ”So…what do you do for a living?”
Etho thought for a moment then said, “nothing much. I…made a small fortune when I was younger. Just work part time.” Etho was done talking, but the curious face on Bdubs beckoned him to continue. “Art teacher. For the elementary school down the block.”
“For real? You’re an artist?” Bdubs smiled excitedly. He gestured Etho to follow him, and waltzed downstairs to his studio. Bdubs beamed as Etho’s eyes lit up at the sight of a miniature city and various dioramas covering several tables and lining numerous shelves. “Been working on it for ten years. They’re all from my own imagination, at a one to eighty scale. Just a hobby, but look…” Bdubs unhinged the facade of the nearest building, “fully furnished interiors!” Bdubs looked to Etho, had this finally broken the ice once and for all?
“Sweet,” said Etho, who crouched down and was peering into the house with one eye closed. Not a man of many words, but Bdubs still beamed with pride.
“It’s my magnum opus. My Sistine Chapel. My— Broadacre City. I’ve had a few shows in the past.”
“Mm. That’s good.” Etho replied from across the room, currently opening up all the facades and peeping inside them.
“Hah! You really like ‘em huh? I’m glad. Seems like you and I have a lot in common.” Bdubs laughed happily.
Etho turned around, staring blankly at Bdubs for a moment. He seemed to be lost in thought. “Probably not.” Was what he settled on. Then, after hesitating for a second, “I‘m— I’m one of a kind.”
“Yeah right. So let’s see that one of a kind house you’re living in.”
After a moment of thought, Etho replied, “Fine, fine. But— it’s a work in progress, alright? And give me a day to tidy up.”
“Yeah baby!” Bdubs celebrated.
The two spent a while longer in the studio, Etho inquiring about the little details of Bdub’s miniature city and what the ‘lore’ behind each building was. Bdubs was more than happy to talk all day about his prized creations. Eventually, Etho went home with the somewhat reluctant promise of hosting Bdubs the day after the next.
As Bdubs was cleaning up, he noticed that there was nothing left in the cookie plate but a couple crumbs.