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—1—
Mumbo was doing a few things around his base. Small things, things he hadn't bothered with during the main part of the season but still wanted done before they moved on to the next world. He liked knowing he left his base in the best shape he could, though he wasn't sure if he'd ever come back here.
He usually toured his old worlds with Grian, showing him everything he and his servermates had accomplished in the season, but he might not bother this time. This time was going to be different.
Xisuma was there too, mostly keeping him company and chatting about the upcoming season. And about Grian. A lot about Grian actually.
"-oh and his builds. Gosh I can't wait for season 6 it's going to be so fun having him here." Mumbo rambled, flapping his hands happily as he thought about it.
Xisuma didn't seem to mind, looking back at Mumbo with a warm smile, obvious from the crinkles around his eyes. "You know I already said yes to inviting him right? No need to keep trying to convince me." He teased, nudging his shoulder lightly.
Mumbo promptly turned beat red, heat rising in his face all the way up to his ears. He hadn't even noticed he'd gotten so carried away, he was just excited! He and Grian had never lived on the same server before.
"Right yes well, sorry for talking your ear off about him." He mumbled, wringing his hands together.
"No need to apologize, I'm only teasing. I'm glad you're looking forward to it, you and Grian are pretty close huh?" He said, propping his head on his hand as he looked at him. There was a knowing glint in his eye, a bit of a smirk on his face if Mumbo was reading his eyes right.
He'd gotten pretty good at reading Xisuma's expressions over the years. He was one of the only people Mumbo could make steady eye contact with without a second thought. He thought the helmet helped.
"Yeah, he's been my best friend for years. He means a lot to me." Mumbo admitted, feeling a bit bashful but proud as well. He knew Grian cared for him just as much.
Xisuma blinked at him in surprise, his eyebrows shooting up for a second before he schooled his expression into something more neutral. "Well I'm sure he'll make a fine addition to the server. I think this season will be one to remember." He said, standing up to clap Mumbo on the shoulder before heading back towards his base.
Mumbo stared after the way he went for a beat too long. Something about how that ended felt… strange. But then again Mumbo was never that good at judging social interactions.
He shook himself, pushing the conversation aside. Why worry about that when there was so much to look forward to?
—2—
Grian stepped out of the server hub and found himself on Hermitcraft.
He'd been on the old servers a couple times, mostly being dragged around by Mumbo while listening to him ramble about builds and hermits and all the fun they got up to.
He loved listening to him when he got excited like that. He loved laughing along as Mumbo described a prank or build or event, even if he'd already told Grian about it a time or two. Or five. It was just as good every time, Grian could listen to him for hours.
Though it was always a little bittersweet. He couldn't help feeling envious of everything he got to do, of all the builds and players he was surrounded by.
This time was different. Now he was hermit too, now he was going to be living with his favorite person in one of the best servers there was.
The second he came through the portal he spotted Mumbo in the crowd and jumped him.
That is to say, jumped on him. His wings flapped behind him, trying to propel him even though he knew they wouldn't work until he had his elytra. He tackled him with a hug, so hard he actually fell backwards and hit the ground with Grian right behind him.
He didn't care, and Mumbo didn't seem to either. They both just laid there in the grass, practically on top of each, laughing themselves breathless.
Grian had barely even noticed the other hermits who were standing around them. This was certainly one way to make a first impression.
It was hard to care about that when Mumbo was hugging him back. His lanky arms wrapped tightly around him, holding him to his chest, shaking with his wheezing laughter.
"Grian! Why can't you hug me like a normal person!" Mumbo shouted, not sounding at all upset. He was barely able to talk with how hard he was laughing and his face was split into a brilliant smile under his mustache.
Grian took a second to just look at him. It had been far too long for his liking.
"Where's the fun in that?" He asked, jumping to his feet and holding a hand out for his friend.
He glanced around a bit sheepishly, for the first time actually acknowledging the veritable crowd that was gathered around them. None of them seemed put off, in fact most of them were watching the two of them with fond -or at the least pleasantly baffled- expressions.
He waved awkwardly, his wings fluttering against his back. "'Ello, thanks for having me. And uh, sorry about all that." He said with a laugh, smiling sheepishly.
Mumbo placed a hand on his shoulder, pulling him closer to his side. "Don't be sorry mate, I've already warned them about the chaos you tend to bring."
Grian squawked in indignation though it was hard to hear over the giggles and whispers from the hermits.
The other hermits. Grian was a hermit now.
"That he has." Xisuma said, stepping up toward the pair with a warm smile. It seemed like a warm smile anyway, it was hard to tell when he could only see his eyes. "I think I speak for everyone when I say: welcome to Hermitcraft."
Grian flushed a bit, his smile widening. "Thanks, I'm really excited to be here."
"Sure looks like you are." Someone half mumbled behind him, sparking a new wave of laughter from everyone.
Before Grian could turn around and ask what that meant Xisuma was clapping his hands, drawing everyone's attention once more. "Ok, we already went over the themed areas and the map's on all your coms. Let's get out there and punch some trees!"
A chorus of cheers rose up, one Grian happily contributed to. He had a feeling he was going to like it here.
—3—
Mumbo was taking a quick nap in his base. He was a bit worn out from all the farms he'd been working on and this was a good way of testing them while getting some shut eye. Just to make sure they all worked properly.
He'd set a timer but was instead startled awake by a slight poking pain at his ankle.
It was brief but kept happening over and over and in no clear pattern. He peeled his eyes open with a confused grimace, peering down to see a chicken pecking at him.
Just as he started having the sinking feeling that his chicken farm had a leak he noticed a second chicken. And a third, and a fourth and a fifth and sixth-
He stumbled to his feet, still groggy and half asleep. How had his farm broken this bad? How had it even made so many chickens?
Though as he made his way through the area he became more and more certain they hadn't come from his farm at all and when he made it to surface it was all but confirmed.
Not only was there way more chickens on the surface and in his treehouse but he could hear the distinct sound of Grian cackling in the distance.
His brief panic and shock faded into a more familiar exasperated fondness. He couldn't help but smile slightly at his friends successful prank, even if it was at his own expense.
"That Grian laughing back there?" Doc asked, walking up towards him from the edge of the shore.
Mumbo turned to face him, laughing quietly under his breath. "The one and only. I should've seen this coming when I vouched for him to join." He said, gesturing to the field of chickens they were surrounded by.
Doc chuckled, looking partly amused and partly impressed. It was rather hard to impress Doc, Mumbo was a little proud of him.
"You did say something about him being chaotic." He said wryly, shooting Mumbo a teasing smirk. "Though I can't say I mind, even with the lag these bastards will inevitably cause. He's really livened the place up."
"He tends to do that." Mumbo said with a fond smile, glancing down at one of the chickens as they pecked at his previously impeccable dress shoes.
When he looked back up Doc was watching him with a warm, if teasing smile. "I'd suppose you'd know eh?"
Mumbo blinked at him for a moment, briefly caught off guard by his expression, before pushing it aside. He was probably reading it wrong anyway. "I do indeed, I've had quite a lot of experience with his shenanigans. Still," he leaned down to pet a chicken that was insistently trying to undo his shoelaces. "He always finds new ways to surprise me."
"Well hopefully he'll keep the 'surprises' between the two of you." Doc said, causing Mumbo to chuckle quietly. "How long have you two been together anyway?"
Mumbo froze, stopping with his hand half buried in chicken feathers. He could feel his face heating up and fast, his ears were already burning. "What! What together like, romantically together? We're not!"
Now it was Doc's turn to look surprised and confused. "You're not? That's certainly a shock."
"A shock?" Mumbo spluttered, pushing himself to his feet and immediately wringing his hands together. "That's ridiculous, completely ridiculous! Why'd you even think we were?"
Doc raised an eyebrow, silently judging him.
Mumbo's face grew impossibly hotter and he rushed to defend himself. Himself and Grian. "Ok we're close but we're close friends. Friends Doc we've always been friends!"
"You're honestly telling me Grian's just a friend to you?" Doc asked, half baffled and half teasing.
"Just-" Mumbl started before cutting himself.
He was thrown off all over again. Just friends. Just. Grian wasn't just anything he was Grian, they weren't just anything. They weren't.
"He's- we're, we're not just anything. We're friends, Grian's my friend. He… he means too much to me to be 'just' anything." Mumbo tried to justify, his voice a lot meeker than he meant to be.
Doc took a half step back, all teasing gone from his expression. He held up a hand, almost placatingly. "C'mon man, you know that's not what I meant."
"I know." Mumbo said even though he didn't know. He didn't know at all.
"… Sorry for bringing it up, didn't mean to hit a sore spot there. I actually just came by to see if you wanted to check out my newest farm but that can wait til another time if you'd rather." Doc offered, sincere and well meaning.
Mumbo couldn't bring himself to try and make eye contact with him. "Right. Thanks." He said in a small voice.
Doc hesitated one more moment before quietly heading out. Mumbo should've said goodbye, he didn't bother.
A chicken pecked at his shoe again, annoying him. Distracting him.
That was Grian's favorite way of cheering him up too. The thought made him smile, just a bit.
—4—
Grian was swimming.
He'd been doing a lot of swimming as of late, his own fault for building underwater really. It was coming along really well, the new ocean update made it all the more scenic but it was still a pain.
This time he wasn't working on his base however. Well, sort of. More like an addition to his base. A tunnel from him to Mumbo, to send messages through.
He hadn't exactly told Mumbo he was building a tunnel to his base but he was sure he wouldn't mind. And he was sure his expression was gonna be worth making it a surprise too.
Though he might not get the chance to see his expression. As he started swimming up to the surface he saw the familiar shape of the underside of a boat above him. The jig might just be up.
He was mildly relived when he surfaced to see that Mumbo was, not in fact, in the boat and instead Scar was.
He hadn't met Scar before he came to Hermitcraft but they were becoming fast friends. He was bright and chaotic and full of energy. They got along great.
"Why hello there!" He said brightly as Grian came up for air.
Grian grabbed onto the side of his boat, slinging his arms over it to hold himself up while he took in gasping breaths. "Hi yourself, what're you doing over here?"
Scar smiled in that very specific way of his that meant a sales pitch was coming. "Oh you know how it is, a pirate's gotta explore the open seas! And see all there is to see in 'em." He added with an exaggerated wink, one that made Grian giggle softly. "Why I was actually trying to find a parrot but I haven't come across many good candidates…" He trailed off meaningfully, not so subtly glancing at Grian from the corner of his eye.
"Sorry Scar, I'm a little busy with my own base you know. It's my first season, I've got make a good first impression." He said simply, flicking a bit of water towards Scar's face.
Scar pouted at him, his bottom lip pushed way, way out. "No fair. And you don't have to prove anything! It's obvious what a good fit you are."
Grian flushed a bit, his feathers trying puff up under the weight of the water. "Aw shut up."
"I'm serious! We all knew you would be from the way Mumbo talked about you. Though I guess he's got a bit of a different pre- prep- perspective on you huh?" He said, winking once again, even more obnoxiously than last time.
Grian blew out a heavy breath, dislodging some of the wet hair that was sticking to his face. "What're you on about?"
"You and Mumbo of course! Quite the cute couple you two make, we were all curious about what you'd be like after hearing him talk about you so much."
Grian frowned, scrunching his nose in confusion and mild distaste. "Couple? Where'd you get an idea like that?"
Scar paused, looking down at him with genuine surprise. "Uh from being around you guys? Are you seriously not dating?"
"No, whose saying that?" Grian pressed, unsure how this could be so obvious just from 'being around them.'
He'd never had any kind of inclination to be romantic with Mumbo. He couldn't remember ever really wanting that with anyone. He just never really… needed it. Wanted it. Mumbo made him so happy but he didn't want anymore than what they had. He failed to see how kissing occasionally would make their relationship any better.
"Uh, everyone? I mean Mumbo's never said as much but I think we all kind of assumed you two were together." He said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "You're really not?" He asked again, like he just couldn't process that what he was saying was true.
"Yeah pretty sure." Grian pulled himself up by the rim of the boat, shaking his wings off so the water rained all over Scar.
He spluttered, nearly tipping the boat over as he tried to rub the water out of his eyes.
Grian just laughed at him, plopping back into the water and shoving the boat lightly. "That's what you get for jumping to conclusions! Me and Mumbo are perfectly happy the way we are, no romance required."
"Fine fine I surrender! Geez G, you sure know how to make your point." Scar said, shaking his hands to rid the water from them.
Watching him reminded Grian of the way Mumbo would stim, the thought made him smile.
"I humbly accept your surrender." Grian said with a cheeky smile that was not humble at all. "Now get out of here you! Can't you see I'm trying to build a tunnel to Mumbo's?"
Scar blinked at him for a moment and then burst out laughing, almost tipping out of the boat again.
"What? What's so funny?" Grian demanded, scowling up at him.
"Nothing nothing promise! I'll leave you to your Mumbo tunnel." Scar said brightly, picking up his paddles again.
Grian didn't press the issue, he just waved after him.
He had the distinct impression that Scar didn't believe him. Or understand him.
He decided that was Scar's problem.
He dove back down, heading back towards the tunnel.
—5—
It was time for a server meeting! They'd had a few this season but Mumbo wasn't the best at always… being there. This time Grian had threatened to drag him there himself if he didn't show up on his own.
But he did! And he wasn't even late, though Grian was there already.
As soon as they made eye contact Grian waved him over with a bright smile, waving his arm far higher and faster than he really needed to.
As Mumbo made his way over he saw Cleo and Ren were over there too, clearly chatting with Grian while they waited for the meeting to start.
"'Ello!" He greeted with a small wave, pulling up a chair to join them.
"Well well, look who decided to show up eh?" Ren said with a sharp toothed smile, still managing to look friendly and welcoming. The tail waging behind him helped pretty signifigantly.
"Hey I come to these sometimes." Mumbo protested weakly, already knowing it was a losing battle.
Grian just cackled quietly and Cleo raised a silent eyebrow.
"I said sometimes." He mumbled, glancing away with red cheeks.
"Uh huh, I've just joined but I bet I've been to more server meetings than you have across all the seasons." Grian said, his wings puffing up with pride.
Ren and Cleo started laughing, laughing right over Mumbo's spluttered protests. They weren't very good arguments anyway.
"I had to threaten you just to get you to show up!" Grian said, smirking widely.
"Did you actually?" Ren asked in shock at the same time that Cleo said; "Yeah that tracks."
"You too are gonna give me a tooth ache one of these days." Cleo said, rolling their eyes. "Honestly you're both disgusting, like an old married couple."
Grian's nose scrunched up at the same time Mumbo started fumbling with a new defense.
"Married?" He said disbelievingly in a strained voice.
"Don't listen to them, I think it's cute! You guys are less like an old married couple and more like hopeless romantics." He said with a tone that indicated that was supposed to be a compliment. Mumbo thought. He was pretty sure.
"Romantic?" He asked incredulously, not fully keeping his disgust out of his voice. One glance at Grian showed that he felt similarly, his nose was scrunched up even further and his wings were tense and puffed up.
Ren and Cleo for their part just staring at them shock. "You don't mean you're not…" Cleo trailed off, looking back and forth between them in disbelief.
"Guys are you serious right now?" Ren asked, a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth, like he wasn't sure if he should be laughing or not.
"Uh, yeah." Grian said and Mumbo felt vaguely relieved he was taking the lead on this one. "Look before you leap to those conclusions." He said, clearly trying to joke and slightly missing the mark.
Ren opened his mouth to say something but Mumbo didn't get to hear what it was as Xisuma began talking right at that moment, loudly starting the meeting.
They didn't say any more but Mumbo could feel their eyes on his back the whole meeting. Grian laced a hand with his which helped soothe his nerves slightly but not completely. He supposed it looked like a rather romantic gesture
—+—
Ren and Cleo didn't try to talk to them afterwards but Mumbo could feel the glances they sent them as they left.
As the other began flying home Mumbo and Grian started to head back together, just like they would after any other meeting they both went to.
They walked back, stuck in a heavy, awkward silence.
Well, Mumbo felt awkward anyway, he didn't know if Grian felt the same. They could've -and probably should be- flying back towards the futuristic district but they silently choose to walk instead.
At least they were on the same page. They usually were, the thought that Mumbo could've been… misreading their relationship disturbed him. Had everyone really assumed he and Grian were together? Was it really so 'obvious?'
Was it obvious to Grian?
"Grian…" He started, twisting hid hands together anxiously. They were sweaty.
Grian turned to look at him, his head tilted to the side like a curious bird. The comparison made Mumbo smile, just a bit.
"Did you know everyone thought we were… together?" He asked finally, grimacing slightly as he said it.
Grian sighed, his wings puffing up to show his discomfort. "Yeah, Scar said something about it."
"I see." Mumbo muttered, glancing down towards the ground. He started absently kicking a rock down the road as they went, lost in thought.
"You're thinking too loud over there." Grian said, his wing coming up to brush against Mumbo's back. His feathers tickled his neck slightly, they were soft, they were grounding.
"Sorry, sorry." Mumbo said, shooting him a sheepish smile. "I just- do you think it's weird that everyone thought we were dating?"
"I think they're weird." Grian said lightly.
"Well, I mean just everyone? Kind of feels like we're the outliers you know?"
"Not really?" Grian said, stopping so he could look at Mumbo fully.
Mumbo stopped too, resolutely looking at his hands while he twisted his fingers together. He swallowed heavily. "I- did I miss something? Some signal or something? Did you want us to be dating?"
"What?" Grian asked, his previously concerned expression twitching into a disbelieving smile. He shook his head, his wings shaking with repressed laughter. "No Mumbo, I do not want to date you."
Mumbo immediately felt a rush or relief, his shoulders dropping. "Oh, good." He said, finally glancing up towards Grian's eyes with a embarrassed smile. "I just wasn't sure, I mean I don't even know what wanting that is supposed to even feel like let alone when someone wants it from me so-" He paused, a new worrying thought hitting him so fast he felt dizzy. "What if I want us to date and I just don't know it!"
Now Grian started fully laughing, so hard he nearly doubled over.
"Grian! Please try to take this seriously." Mumbo protested, his voice sounding a little too much like a whine for him to not be embarrassed by. As if he wasn't embarrassed enough already.
Grian tried to say something but he fell into another fit of giggles. There were tears in his eyes.
He sort of collapsed onto Mumbo, leaning into him so hard he'd fall right on his face if he moved, while squeezing his shoulder in a way Mumbo thought was meant to be comforting.
Mumbo held up his weight with a long suffering sigh, wrapping an arm around his waist to hold him steady. "Whenever you're done then." He pouted, resigned to wait until Grian had it together.
He did eventually. After a brief false start when he leaned back and, after glancing at Mumbo's face, started giggling all over again.
He pushed back with a deep, measured breath, his face forcibly neutral while clearly fighting the urge to smile again.
"I am serious you know." Mumbo mumbled, embarrassed but still needing to press on. He hadn't taken his hand off Grian's waist. He didn't really want to. Was that 'romantic' of him?
"I know, I'm sorry." Grian said, shooting him a weak smile and squeezing his shoulder again. "But Mumbo, if you had romantic feelings for me hearing that I didn't wouldn't make you say 'oh good.'"
Mumbo stared at him for a moment. A long moment.
Then he groaned, letting go of Grian to put his head in his hands. He could feel how red his face was, all the up to his stupid, pointy ears. He stepped backwards from Grian's hold, warbling a quiet, "noooo" as he pulled away.
"No Mumbo come back!" Grian said, clearly fighting the urge to giggle again.
"I was being so sincere!" He said, frustrated and baffled.
"I know! It's ok!" Grian said, fully laughing now. He'd followed Mumbo to pull him into a hug, letting him bend down far enough for his head to hit his shoulder. He was nearly bent in half. "It's ok Mumbo, I'm not judging it's just- gosh it's just funny innit?"
Mumbo finally broke, chuckling along. "It is, isn't it?" Slowly he started fully laughing, his mortification taking a back seat as Grian's infectious laughter won out.
Once they'd finally calmed down Grian let go of him, letting him pull far enough back to look at his face. Not quite at his eyes, but the slight bags under them.
"It's really ok, I get it you know? They all acted like we should be but we don't need to listen to those idiots. I'm happy, I'm happy with you and with us. I wouldn't change a thing." He said, breathless from laughter and sincerity.
Mumbo's heart squeezed in his chest. He could feel tears welling in his eyes, though not from laughter this time. "I am too. I love you Grian."
Grian's smile widened and brightened, his wings ruffling in a pleased sort of way. "Love you too Mumbs."