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Grian paces in front of the Entity. “Okay, but it definitely kept me alive,” he says. “Right? I had feather falling boots but that was too much of a coincidence all at once, it definitely kept me alive.” There’s a track in the dirt. “If it kept me alive, then—well of course I don’t know why, it’s—we’re both concerned here! I’m not an idiot—"
“…Grian?” asks Mumbo. Grian snaps to attention and turns to look at Mumbo. “You good there buddy?”
“Yep! Everything’s peachy over here!” He leans over against the Entity, trying to put on a charming, disarming grin. He misjudges and ends up flapping around like a bird someone had pushed off of a tree for a moment instead before scrambling back to his unconcerned position.
“Okay,” Mumbo says slowly, “because it sounds awfully like you were talking to your rock.”
“What? Psshaw. No. Perish the thought! To a rock. Really.” It wasn’t that subtle. No, shut up, it was about as subtle as he’s ever been. It’s not that subtle though. Not that the Entity can talk. Well, it’s had much less time to practice being subtle about things well it can suck Grian’s—
“Are you absolutely certain you’re okay?” Mumbo asks. “If you aren’t, I can always, er. Well I’m not entirely certain, but Scar still has a standing offer about vex magic that—”
“Absolutely not!” Grian yelps at the same time as the Entity yells about absolutely not allowing that in his head.
“Okay, okay, geez. You just seem a bit off, is all. Did something happen?”
And the thing is—did something? It had definitely saved Grian’s life. Maybe it liked Grian! But it wasn’t supposed to do that. Not that Grian would know, the Entity just keeps dropping these things—well it’s not like the Entity realized Grian wouldn’t understand—look, if the Rift is broken that’s a problem because Grian’s already started pulling out more limbs of the Entity and if they have a conflict on their hands that’s Bad. But just because the Entity doesn’t think it’s supposed to happen doesn’t mean that it’s bad, right? Grian’s meddled with plenty of things beyond the mortal ken without a pushy rock! Even if he hasn’t meddled with this—
“Grian? Hello? That’s it, I’m going to get either Xisuma or Scar, whoever I run into first.”
“No! There’s nothing wrong at my megabase that’s concerning me and also any beings I may or may not have invited into my head and we should absolutely stay neighbors because there’s no danger to you at all!” Grian blurts out.
Everyone—including the Entity—is silent for several long, agonizing seconds.
“That’s… specific,” Mumbo says diplomatically.
Grian turns to the Entity, giving up. “This is entirely your fault,” he complains. “Now we’re going to have an elf poking around at us.”
A pause.
“Unless.”
He turns to Mumbo. He smiles. Mumbo steps back. “Uh, Grian. Not liking the expression there, I have to say. Maybe—maybe we will just forget this, how about? And I have another lump I can move to, really, this will all work out—”
The Entity whispers something in Grian’s ear. Grian listens.
If he can’t solve one problem, he can at least knock out another one. He’s not sure why he hadn’t thought of this sooner. Honestly, Mumbo won’t mind, will he? They’re friends! And, anyway, Mumbo won’t really remember until it’s done.
“I think it will all work out,” Grian says, and he opens his wings and steps towards Mumbo once more, cornering him against the side of his nearby base. “Don’t worry. I’m really excited to be neighbors!”
(Somewhere, Grian tries to reach to decide who’s thinking that, between him and the Entity. He gives up. It doesn’t matter, though. He has far too many other things going on to pay attention, right now.)