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Wels didn’t show up for Season 7. Which wasn’t too worrisome, hermits turned up late all the time. One of the most common things on this server was someone getting burnt out or tired of constantly being around so many other people, and constantly working or doing something.
So people got burnt out and retreated to private single player worlds all the time. So nobody noticed, initially.
It was just another season and someone hadn’t shown up yet, honestly everyone was just mostly excited that Hypno, Etho, and Beef were back. And a few people probably assumed that Wels was gonna take a season long break, or had quit Hermitcraft for other things, and nobody questioned it, even though Xisuma hadn’t said anything about Wels being late or otherwise.
Secrets were well respected on this server.
So when the first month or two passed, Scar wasn’t worried. He focused on his builds and working on perfecting his new wizard magic, trying to balance learning it with his vex magic still lingering. It was alright when his primary partner didn’t show up, initially.
He was never going to try to crowd Wels, just like he never tried to crowd Grian or Mumbo too much, it was alright. He was focused anyways, he sent Wels and Xisuma a message after the first month though.
[GoodTimeWithScar] whispered to [Welsknight]: Hey are you planning on coming back to the server anytime soon? People miss you!
[GoodTimeWithScar] whispered to [Xisumavoid]: Do you know where Wels is? I know you didn’t say anything to the server and that’s alright if its a secret between the two of you! Just wondering.
In the morning he received a message back from Xisuma, saying that the admin had no clue where Welsknight was or if he was returning for this season. Which of course, again, was fine, it wasn’t something Scar was gonna push.
When the second month passed, Scar was getting worried. They had gotten messages from even Etho when he’d been off server, so it was significantly more worrying when they’d gotten nothing from Wels, and some people on the server had mentioned it, but the general assumption was that he was just busy. Which was okay.
[GoodTimeWithScar] whispered to [Welsknight]: If you’re off on a singleplayer world can I come see you? I know we try to keep the relationship stuff private and all so just. Let me know? I miss you!
And nothing arised from that message either. Scar just kept going about his normal day otherwise, shoving down his worry and replacing it with a motivation to keep building and working, going out to hang out with his fellow hermits and spending nights at their bases when he had nothing better to do.
He kept himself busy, as almost everyone on the server knew how to do. It was pretty rare to see someone actually genuinely worried and being open about it. So it was fine.
It kept being fine when the third month passed, and Scar didn’t send a message that time, he was too focused on builds and taking care of his own health and Jellie, and that was fine. He was starting to adjust to the fact he probably wasn’t going to hear anything from Welsknight this season.
In June Scar was far too busy to properly message his partner, the hermit was practically running himself dry, trying to keep appearances up for his mayoral campaign, he tried his best to not even bring his wheelchair some places, on the good days.
Just trying to keep himself up with his vex levitation and his cane, and that worked. Just probably not the best idea in the long run, considering he ended up a little bed bound after the elections.
But that was alright, he had Bdubs around him nearly twenty-four-seven and so they made things work.
The next two months passed slowly, and Scar was far too focused on the road building competition and making sure people were taxed and things were funded to message the man who hadn’t shown up. And once the turf war started he was even less able to focus on the smaller things. Distractions upon distractions piled up until Scar was working constantly against Grian and the rest of the resistance.
Of course nothing was serious, at the end of the day he’d still get messages from his partners and friends saying they loved him and he’d send the same back and it was alright, and he would curl up with Jellie at night and rest.
One night after things had gone a bit too far, Scar was curled up in bed, not even letting Jellie press against his chest with how bad it hurt. He’d respawned wrong, like what happened to him far too many times, and he’d gotten a message saying they’d put his stuff in a chest but that was it. Nobody came to check on him or get him this time, which was alright.
It did leave him thinking though, it’d been months at this point. The season started in february? And it was August- or September? Now? He wasn’t fully sure. His thoughts weren’t very clear. So when he found himself crying and felt the ghost of arms around him he didn’t realize the problem until he’d subconsciously grabbed his communicator.
[GoodTimeWithScar] whispered to [Welsknight]: Are you coming home soon?
[GoodTimeWithScar] whispered to [Welsknight]: I miss you.
[GoodTimeWithScar] whispered to [Welsknight]: I’ve been busy, I’m the mayor of the shopping district now? Just been doing… everything. Grian started a war again.
And he sat and texted Wels all night, until he found himself on the edge of sleep at daybreak, and when he woke next at midday he still could barely move. Which… was okay, for the most part. The worst part was that there were still no replies on his communicator, nobody even checking in on him.
When he could walk again he went to Cub about it, talking to him about the fact Wels hadn’t replied to him, and getting a general idea that Wels hadn’t been replying to anyone, which honestly only gave Scar the worst ideas.
So he went to Xisuma with Cub a while later, after thinking about it, sitting the admin down.
“You said you don’t know where Welsknight is, and he hasn’t been replying to anyone?”
“Yes, I… wanted to give him his privacy but it’s been months now. So I checked his singleplayer world but nobody was on it.”
Scar felt his heart sink, and Cub put his hand on his shoulder. “Did- is there any way to see if he's okay by looking at his player data?” “You can’t look at someone's player data that isn’t on the same server as you. He’s whitelisted, if he wanted to be here I’m sure he would.”
“But it’s been months, X, is there anywhere that’s worth it to check?”
Xisuma seemed to think for a second, before Cub shrugged loosely “Is there any chance he never got the IP? Could just still be on the last server.”
“But if that's the case why wouldn’t he be messaging us?”
“What if his communicator broke?” Scar stared at the communicator in his own hands. He knew how easy it was for them to break, but to think someone had been alone in an empty server with no contact with the outside world for months? He couldn’t stand it.
“Could someone check?” Xisuma looked at Scar, before glancing up at Cub, who nodded briefly. “I’ll go to the season six server and see if he’s there, if he’s not though we just have to hope for the best.”
“Alright.”
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When Wels got back there was a celebratory party. He’d been brought into the shopping district and most of the hermits were crowding around him, asking questions and making sure he was alright. Scar had hung towards the back, mostly beating himself up over the fact he hadn’t tried to check on Wels sooner.
He hadn’t tried to do something sooner.
He could see the difference in the way the knight moved, the closed off behaviors and quiet voice, and the way he flinched a little when people touched him. So Scar didn’t get too close. He never ended up getting too close. Just, avoiding Wels vaguely the rest of the season.
Wels had no reason to reach out to him, as far as Wels knew he’d ignored him and his cries for help just like everyone else had.
So Scar stayed away, not wanting to bother him too much.
And the season came and went. Through season eight Scar did his best to avoid the knight as well, not wanting to be a bother or get in his way as Wels caught up with the way the hermits worked again, as he focused on stuff like the Yes Wings Club.
Scar focused on Boatem, and as the end of the season grew near and it was getting less and less common to hear from Wels, Scar was scared. And his other partners were focusing on eachother, so it left him sitting in Swaggon most of the time, in too much pain to do much.
The moon got closer and closer, and Scar couldn’t move most days, let alone build, and there was so much he wouldn’t finish, and while Boatem dragged him out of the Swaggon sometimes it just led to him being more exhausted.
Finally, as people were speculating it was the last week, he caved.
[GoodTimeWithScar] whispered to [Welsknight]: Are you busy?
He didn’t expect a response, just putting his communicator down and staring at the ceiling. He was the only member of Boatem sleeping, Grian and Mumbo were together most of the time, if not always, Impulse was… going a little bit stir-crazy, and Pearl seemed to be missing half the time.
[Welsknight] whispered to [GoodTimeWithScar]: No, what’s up?
He jumped at the notification, grabbing his communicator and debating what to say for a second. Before just sighing.
[GoodTimeWithScar] whispered to [Welsknight]: Can you come to the Swaggon for a bit? Just to hang out?
Moments passed, and no reply came, so Scar just sighed and dropped his communicator, collapsing back in bed and staring at the ceiling for longer. He honestly felt a bit like he could float away- which he probably could if he didn’t consistently make sure he was somewhat tied onto his bed with something every time he went to sleep.
He heard something crashing from downstairs, and moved to sit up just as a head peeked over the ladder. Scar stared at Welsknight for a second, opening his mouth to speak, just before Wels nearly crashed into him, knocking the breath out of the man.
A laugh bubbled out of Scar after a second as he moved his hands to unclasp Wels’ armor.
Once it was off, Welsknight settled next to him, wrapping his arms around Scar as tightly as he could. Scar couldn’t find it in him to speak before he’d started dozing off, safe in the familiarity of the knight's arms.
When he woke up it was to Welsknight gently petting his hair, scrolling through the chat on his communicator. The knight felt Scar moving, and glanced down at him. “Scar?”
“wwelll hello there” Scars voice was quiet, draped with sleep still lingering, and he moved up only a little bit to press a kiss to Wels’ jaw, smiling up at him. Wels just chuckled, moving his hand down to the back of Scars neck and letting him relax there.
It was silent for a minute, before Scar gave a quiet sigh, pressing his face into Welsknight’s shoulder.
“I missed you, sunshine” “I missed you too, my little vex.”