Bdubs POV-

We are in the soft grass surround my base. Enjoying the sounds of the waterwheel as the water lazily flows down the river. I can hear the happy buzz of a couple bees as Keralis turns towards me. His eyes focused on mine as I lay on my back next to him.

"You're my best friend Bubbles. And I don't ever want to lose that." Keralis' larger eyes sparkle and I turn to look back at the blue, cloudless sky.

"I don't want to lose you either Kerry. Why would you ever worry about that? We've been through too much together." I murmur as I admire a light blue bird glide above us.

When Keralis stays silent, I glance back towards him to see him gazing at the sky, tears in his eyes. I roll to my side and grab his nearest hand, "Keralis, what's wrong?" He just shakes his head and continues to stare at the sky, "Keralis please. Whatever it is won't ruin our friendship is that's what you're worried about. You know I'm here for you"

He rolls to face me, intertwining his fingers between mine making my heart race pick up. "I know... but I don't know if I have the words."

My heart aches to help Keralis. I can't handle seeing him upset and I would do anything for him and when a tear finally escapes his eyes, I reach up to his face to wipe it away. He moves his face into my touch, eyes closed, and I continue to rub his cheek. I love his silly antiques. I love his personality. I love his face. I love him. I always have and I desperately want to always be there for him.

He's always been there for me. He's always there to help me smile. Always there to provide a shoulder to cry on. Always there to support my ideas. Always there to give me advice. Always there.

He was there when I finally rejoined Hermitcraft season 6. He was there through the whole ordeal with Doc. He was there with those big beautiful eyes and I never noticed how much I loved him.

My hand was still on Keralis' cheek as he cried openly. I brought his other hand towards my chest as I scooted closer to him. Resting his hand over my heart I looked at him, "Thank you Keralis."

"For what Bubbles?" He opened his eyes to look at me. I slid the hand on his face to his heart. We lied there, each feeling each other's racing heart beats, while I gathered my words.

"Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for staying by me when I cried and for teaching me how to handle my panic attacks. Thank you for staying by my side when I couldn't sleep. Thank you for helping me ground myself. Thank you for being my friend and for teaching me how to fall in love."

Keralis scooted even closer to me to the point where we were pretty much touching noses. I could feel his breath on my lips and I self-consciously wet mine. His free hand reached my face to wipe away tears I didn't know I had. His hand was soft for a builder and as he traced his thumb along my jawline he spoke, "Thank you Bubbles. Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for saving me from my own demons and showing me how much you and the others cared. I was broken but you patched me together."

We are both crying openly under the afternoon sun. I tried to tell him how much I loved him as I stared in his eyes. I could see him doing the same and I wished I had seen it before.

I finally found my voice again as I sat up, bringing Keralis into my lap so he was looking at me, "Kerry, I want to be with you through everything. The highs and good times. The lows and heartaches. If you let me, I'll create the good days. I'm brighten the bad."

Keralis just smiled and nodded before piping in, "Let me join in on the future adventures. You will be my world and I'll never let you go. We can survive everything and anything if we only have each other, every day and every night."

I grin as the tear covered face in front of me finally saying those three words that have been at the tip of tongue for years, "I love you."

"I love you too Bubbles. And I will forever." He leans forward and I copy as our lips made contact. The salt from our tears is bitter in my mouth but he tastes like sugar.

We pull away and I watch Keralis cry fresh tears but these I know to be joy. He was my best friend but he was so much more. I lie back into the grass, shifting Keralis so that he laid lightly on my chest. We stay silent for a long time, enjoy the feel of each other and the blue of the sky.

I won't let him go. I will fight for him each and every day. I know he will do the same.

I am no longer unable to see how much he loves me. Everything he has ever done proves it to me. I hope that he knows how much I love and adore him.

Keralis shifts to look up my face so I lift my head to look in his eyes, "thank you Bubbles. For loving me." I smile as he rolls over to plant another kiss on my lips.