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Scar patted one of his Jellies, sitting alone in his sanctuary as he wondered when everything had started to go so wrong. When the server started, he’d been happy enough running around and causing chaos in it. Sure, he might have fallen off a few cliffs—- but he didn’t die! That was something he could be proud of.
He’d looked all over for his soulmate, punching people and getting punched to see if their injuries were shared, but nobody seemed to be his match. And then there was Grian, following him around everywhere, annoyed but still laughing at his antics.
It took him all day to discover Grian was his soulmate, even though he’d been following Scar like a worried babysitter—- which was probably close to the truth, now that Scar was thinking about it.
He’d been ecstatic to have Grian with him for this new, server-wide competition. But it quickly became clear that Grian didn’t share the same happiness, keeping Scar from anywhere he deemed ‘dangerous’ and holding him at arm’s length.
It had only taken a few days for Scar to discover Grian’s secret affair with BigB, when Grian set up a chest and heart in his base with Ren.
He hadn’t meant to find out, really—- he’d just wanted to see what Grian was doing, going to see BigB and Ren, since he was carrying gifts. If it turned out he was making an alliance, Scar was going to offer to help. Instead he got to watch as BigB found the note and gifts before getting rid of the evidence of Grian’s betrayal.
And now here Scar was, sitting in his sanctuary and taking comfort in his Jellies, wondering what he should do. He didn't want to leave Grian, even if that’s what Grian seemed to want from him .
Sighing heavily, he moved to lay on one of the Jellies, hugging their soft coat and sinking his face into the fur of their neck. “What should I do, Jellie? I don’t think Grian wants me as his soulmate, but I can’t think of anyone else I’d want. I mean, we've been through the Nether and back together! How can he just… forget about all of that?”
The Jellie under him huffed, stretching and laying down, forcing Scar to slide off of them and instead rest against their side. Scar crossed his arms, brows furrowing as he thought.
Really, there wasn’t much he could do. Sure, he could confront Grian, but what good would that do? Grian had made a choice, and Scar was going to respect that, even if it was against him.
The next best thing he could do was show Grian that he was capable and that he didn’t need someone like BigB when he had Scar right here. Scar sighed again, getting to his feet.
There was only one thing to do.
—-
Grian hummed softly, making his way down the mineshaft that led to the Deep Dark where he hoped to enchant his new diamond pickaxe. He’d finally managed to get enough diamonds for it after an embarrassingly long time spent mining his own strip mines.
When he made it down, he noticed that he wasn’t alone: there was someone else here, too, jumping between wool blocks and carrying what looked like the enchanter. Grian made to yell for them, but stopped in his tracks as they drew closer.
Because it was Scar , grinning brightly and holding the enchanter above his head, laughing quietly as he almost missed a few jumps. Grian’s heart rate skyrocketed with the anxiety suddenly churning in his lungs, and he held his breath until Scar was out of danger and in front of him.
“Oh, Grian! Just in time, I managed to steal the enchanter—- I might have summoned a warden, but it lost me. We should probably get out of here now though, come on!” Scar tugged on Grian’s wrist, and Grian stumbled after him, too shocked to speak for a long moment.
When he finally regained his composure, Grian was surprised at the lack of real anger he held despite Scar breaking his ‘no Deep Dark’ rule. “Scar, what are you even going to do with the enchanter? You can’t keep stealing them every time we do a challenge like this!”
“That’s what they all say—- but it’s too late, I already have it! Anyways, did you need something enchanted? You’re always complaining about coming down here.” Scar was still holding his wrist, and Grian didn’t know what to do about it.
He felt a little guilty, leaving Scar in the dark about his relationship with BigB—- but how was he supposed to tell his soulmate that he didn’t want to be soulmates anymore? No, he couldn’t do that. He’d just… wait until BigB was free, and maybe run off with him.
Scar held his wrist a bit tighter as the silence stretched out between them, and Grian remembered with a jolt that he’d been asked a question. “Ah, uh—- yeah, I just needed something for my pickaxe. You know, the usual.”
“I see! Well, I’ll set it up when we get back home and then you can see the Jellies.” Scar grinned, and Grian had no time to protest him putting the enchanter in the sanctuary before the man was off running, letting Grian go.
Grian stopped, looking down at his wrist with a frown. For some reason, he felt a bit sad watching Scar run away. But that was ridiculous. He’d already unofficially left Scar as far as he was concerned.
His walk back home was slow, and he avoided Scar for the rest of the day, still trying to convince himself that he was really fine.
—-
Grian’s next meeting with BigB was when his first life was gone. The two met in the field between their bases, alone for a moment, and Grian smiled half-heartedly at the greeting hug BigB gave him.
He just… couldn’t get Scar off his mind. Sure, he didn’t exactly want to be soulmates, but he still considered Scar to be his friend. And lately Scar had been avoiding him, off doing his own thing.
“Hey, are you alright? You seem a little down.” Grian blinked as BigB spoke, realizing he’d spaced out again.
“I’m alright. How are you?”
“Ah, I’m fine. But I think Ren is getting suspicious, so we probably won’t be able to meet again soon. Plus, we’ve both lost one life. He wants us to stick together, you know? I’ll still be secret soulmates with you, don’t worry.” BigB sighed, scratching the back of his head.
Despite the reassurance, Grian felt a seed of doubt take root in his chest. “Right… I’m not worried.”
—-
The days passed in a blur, and with each one, Grian’s commitment wavered. BigB messaged him occasionally, but they were distant.
Scar was no help, either. He’d changed tactics from avoiding him to showering him with little gifts: a few diamonds here, an enchanted book there. Once, Grian woke up to find that he was sleeping with a baby panda tucked under his arm.
That instance still brought a smile to his face, though he’d never admit that to Scar.
Grian was starting to think Scar was trying to prove something to him, but he didn’t really know what. Sure he had his suspicions, but if they were right?
He’d feel like a complete idiot and a jerk, because Scar simply wasn’t allowed to know his relationship with BigB. And if he did, and that was why he was acting this way?
Then Void help him, because he’d never intended to hurt Scar.
—-
Scar started to worry when BigB lost his second life. It had been fine before for Grian to hang out with BigB, but now BigB was the first red name on the server with Ren.
It wasn’t really his place to intervene, even as Grian’s soulmate, but he couldn’t just watch Grian get hurt.
That’s what led him here, standing in front of Grian and trying to think of what to say. Grian was watching him in confusion, still holding the sugarcane he’d been making into paper. “What did you want to say, Scar? You look a little green.”
Scar took a deep breath, forcing himself to look Grian in the eyes. “I know you’re secret soulmates with BigB, Grian. And… I don’t want you to get hurt. He’s a red name now, for End’s sake!”
Grian’s shock was palpable, and he dropped the sugarcane, standing stock still as Scar watched him. “You… you knew about that?”
Scar sighed, looking away and moving to sit on a mostly empty chest. “I’ve known the whole time, Grian. It hurts, but… I understand. I’m a bumbling idiot, right? I always get hurt somehow, or die, and you didn’t like that so you chose BigB instead.”
The base fell to silence, and Scar was shocked to feel hands moving to cradle his head, pulling him into a gentle embrace. They shook where they rested in his hair. “Scar, I never meant for you to think that way. I’ve been friends with you for a long time, and I’d never think of you as an idiot! Sure you’re a little clumsy, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t smart.
“I just… I wanted to partner up with someone else, this challenge. We had a whole pact in the first survival challenge, you know? I just thought it might be nice if we got to see more people. But—- I never intended to make you feel lesser. I’m… I’m really sorry, Scar. I won’t see BigB anymore.”
Scar blinked, his forehead resting over Grian’s heart and feeling each steady beat. He hadn’t had a hug from Grian since before the beginning of the challenge, and it was somehow nicer than he remembered. “You really mean it? I thought you had something good going with BigB.”
Grian scoffed, trying to pull back. Scar’s arms stopped him, pulling him closer and resting his cheek on Grian’s ribs. He grinned a bit at Grian’s flustered grumbling as he tried to speak. “Scar, of course I meant it! I don’t like making my friends upset. And to be honest, things haven’t been as good between BigB and I since he lost his first life.”
Scar blinked, looking up to see Grian’s conflicted expression. Grian rolled his eyes, but gave in to the question in Scar’s with a sigh. “I think I just… liked the idea of being his soulmate. I didn’t actually want to be. Kind of like eating chocolate—- you want to do it, but it makes you sick if you eat too much.”
“Oh yeah! I do that sometimes.”
A small silence fell over the two again, and Scar put his head back against Grian’s chest, just basking in the happiness that they were really on the same page. Not to mention the fact that Grian was finally hugging him again! That was a huge win in Scar’s books.
“Okay, then… is everything okay now? No more secrets?” Scar looked up from his seat on the chest again. Maybe he should get up, but right now he doesn't really feel the need. Plus, it’s very rare for Grian to be the one initiating hugs in these challenges, so he wouldn’t be the one to end it.
“ With you? Yeah, we’re okay. No more secrets, no other soulmates. It might not be okay with BigB, but I think my real soulmate is more important right now. And… I really am sorry, Scar.”
“It’s… not okay, but I think I’ll recover.”
—-
Scar stood on top of their base, watching Grian fly. It was a rare sight now that most of the server had red names, but it was nighttime now and therefore less risky.
Things had gotten better since they’d resolved their issues. Grian had accepted Scar’s Jellies, even! That was the highlight of this challenge, in Scar’s eyes.
A challenge that was coming to an end, whether he liked it or not.
Their lives were still green, but that wouldn’t last much longer. For now, though? He could smile, and watch Grian stretch his wings, and live .
Tomorrow could bring anything, but with Grian now on his side, Scar thought he’d be okay. Win or lose, he’d be content with putting up the good fight without having to watch his own back, because Grian would watch it for him.
And he would watch Grian’s, because like it or not, they were in this together.