Chapter Text
The sick guilt upon realizing Scar is his soul mate makes Grian want to puke. What are the chances? After what had already taken place in a previous world. That they would be put back together again.
The thing that might be worse than being stuck as soul mates with Scar is that the man is actually oblivious. Running around, splashing around in the river with Joel, chasing after mobs, acting like a five year old, and Grian’s just about had enough.
He’s tried multiple times to get Scar’s attention, after pushing past his own denial. But nothing seems to be working.
“I need a harness for him.” Grian jokes to Etho and Joel, finally leaving the stupid river.
Both share a look when he says that.
“Might not be that bad of an idea.” Etho chuckles, and if Grian didn’t know better he would think that the Canadian was being serious.
Meanwhile while Joel calls out, “Hey kitten come over here.” to grab Scar’s attention.
“Kitten?” Grian whispers to himself, confused at the pet name.
He’s even more confused when Scar does come, bounding to Joel’s side, and clinging to his arm with a dopey grin. It only infuriates Grian more. “So he listens to you now does he?” cause it’s not like he’s been trying to get the man to follow him for the past couple of hours. Would make his life easier if he would just stop running off.
Joel and Etho both give Grian a look that make the avian feel like he’s missing something. Maybe it’s a soul bound thing. But how would he know? His soul mate’s too distracted with just about anything that moved.
“I wisten.” Scar pouts, and Grian just really doesn’t want to deal with this right now and decides it’s his turn to walk off now, missing the next part Scar says. “Is just hard to focus sometimes.”
“I bet it can be.” Joel says sympathetically, ruffling Scar’s hair.
“And you’re doing great bud.” Etho confidently states, making Scar beam. “Just think Grian would like if you went with him for a bit.”
“Why?”
“Umm, well,” both men stutter.
“Is he won-ly?” Scar questions, he could understand that. He’s lonely too without his soulmate or his cat.
“Probably man, we can’t tell we’re not his soul mate. Why don’t you go be with him? I bet he’d enjoy your company.” Joel tries.
“Otay!” Scar’s already running off, trying to catch up with Grian.
He comes back a moment later, rushing back and rambling on how he forget that he didn’t say goodbye. He gives Joel a quick hug, a high five for Etho and then is hurrying back off once again.
“He has to know, right?” Joel asks, watching Scar off in the distance.
“Who? Scar?”
Joel shakes his head. “No, Scar’s too young right now, he’ll figure it out about Grian eventually. I was meaning Grian. He’s stressed I know, but…” Joel trails off.
“Oh.” Etho exhales. “I’m sure he’ll figure it out. They’ll be fine.”
“Yeah, I suppose.”
~~~
Scar was doing the best he could with what he had at the moment. In truth he was terrified of being back in another one of these worlds. He didn’t like last life and certainly didn’t enjoy 3rd life none either. Coming into the world he already had felt sort of hazy, almost like he was in a dream, only he knew better than to think that he was. So he simply went with it.
There was no real reason to be big. He wasn’t that small so that he couldn’t take care of himself properly. There were no red lives to worry about, his soul mate ate which kept his health up. It wasn’t going to be night anytime soon, so there was no worries.
And then he had stumbled upon Joel and Etho, both who seemed to know exactly what was going on with him. He was a bit sad that neither had been his soul mate, but either as a babysitter worked fine by him as well. Joel had even called him kitten, which filled him up with such a warmth. So when he was told to follow Grian he didn’t really mind.
The shorter man didn’t seem to know that he was small, but that was okay. Want to know why? Cause he had found Jellie cats!
He’s so excited over his cats.
“I found my soul mate!” And for a moment Grian almost thinks he’s figured it out all on his own. “Jwellie is my soul mate!”
Grian groans. He would have been proud of Scar too.
“Scar, how can you be that oblivious.” Grian says, out loud.
Still Scar doesn’t hear, occupied with petting all of his cats.
“Scar! Come over here.” He doesn’t come, Grian wasn’t expecting him to listen at this point, he was getting used to it.
He grabs the man by the shoulder, Scar hums a bit confused as to where he’s being lead. Grian tells him, “stand there and watch.” So Scar does.
Or he tries his best too anyways. But he can hear a Jellie panda in the background, and the noise draws him, and he really can’t help but look away. He wants to go play with them! Something sharp lands on his head and he gives a cry.
“Ow!” He rubs his head, eyes tearing up. Did Grian just hurt him?
“Did you see anything?”
“Dat hurt,” Scar murmurs, causing Grian to sigh, again.
He seems to do that a lot, Scar thinks.
“Scar! Look over here.”
“Otay, I’m looking.” And Scar tries his best to focus. He really does.
This time when the sharp pain comes he sees Grian get hurt as well. It’s hard not too when blood starts to trickle down the other’s forehead even though he’s just standing there.
“Oh…” Scar says, takes a deep breath, and bursts into tears.
“Scar… oh Scar.”
Scar crumples to the ground. His head hurts. He decides then and there that Grian’s a big meanie. He wants Joel or Etho back. They were a lot nicer.
Someone’s rubbing his head, softly brushing through locks of hair, not touching the wound. Scar opens his eyes. Grian’s there. Sitting in front of him on the floor. He looks upset. Which would make sense, he got hurt as well.
“I’m so sorry Scar. I didn’t mean for it to hurt that badly, you just weren’t listening at all.”
“Is hard otay?!” Scar shouts. He doesn’t mean to, but he’s frustrated.
He thought soul mates were supposed to love each other, not hurt each other. Joel and Etho didn’t hurt him just cause he wasn’t listening. He tugs at the grass in front of him.
“Is not fair.”
He hears Grian exhale. “Look, I’m sorry Scar. Can we just forget about it?”
Scar nods a bit hesitantly. Surely a similar situation had happened with Joel and Etho, otherwise how did they find out about each other? Grian was his soul mate after all. He was just being silly.
“Can I go pway with da Jellie cats now?” Scar asks his soul bound.
He wants to pet their fur again. He likes the texture. It’s grounding that way. And right now he needs that more than anything. He feels as though he could break down at any moment.
“Scar, we need to start making a base.”
The little gives a frustrated cry, hands slamming down into the ground in front of him.
“Scar!” he doesn’t pay any attention. He doesn’t want to work, he wants to play. He wants to be comforted. He wants to feel better. He wants so much and he’s not getting any of it.
“Scar! You’re acting like a three year old!”
“Not three!” Scar huffs out, “‘m almost five.” He thought Grian would be proud.
He wasn’t a baby that Grian needed to take care of. He was big!
“Oh my gosh Scar… come on.”
“But the Jellie cats!” Scar whines as Grian begins to tug him up onto his feet and away from his one source of comfort at the moment.
“Later.”
Later. He promises. Yeah. That made sense. Scar looks back one last time, waves goodbye to his kittens and starts trying to keep up with Grian.
But Scar doesn’t feel like building. He can’t build right now. He sits down on a chest of materials and huffs.
“Gri? Wan go pway wif Jellies ‘ow?”
“I can’t understand you when you talk like that Scar.”
The little huffs, then tries again. “Do you wanna pway wif Jellies now?” he says in the clearest voice he can manage.
“Why are you so obsessed with those cats?”
“Cause I wanna pway with dem!” Scar states, as if that wasn’t obvious.
“Fine Scar. You can go do that. It’s not like you’re helping much any ways.”
Scar cheers! “Tank you Grian!” And runs off back to where he’d seen his fluffy friends last.
~~~
Scar returns a couple of hours later. He’s hungry and tired from running around. He’s not as small anymore, but still nowhere near back to his own age. He wonders where Grian is.
Scar’s about to call out when he hears a voice and his name.
“How did I end up with Scar?” It’s Grian’s voice. “I didn’t want him as a soul mate. He’s being useless now anyways.”
Scar stops. Useless? He wasn’t useless. Was he?
“There you are.” Scar looks up, Grian’s staring up at him. “Welcome back.”
“Tanks.” Scar mumbles, though he feels sick. He wonders if Grian really means that.
“Come on. I set up beds. It’s getting late after all.” Grian continues on talking. “I would have liked to get more done today, would have been nice to have your help, but it’s,” he takes a deep breath. “fine.”
“Sowry. I-”
“Whatever Scar. It’s late and I’ve had a long day.” He hops into bed. “Just go to sleep.”
Scar can’t sleep. He has to try and make this better. He has to prove that he’s not worthless.