Chapter Text
Grian had told Mumbo to leave, he'd told him to run but he still turned and faced that Warden until it took him out. Two deaths in one day and he was gone. He didn't even have time to mourn the fact that he was, once again, involved in Mumbo's death. They all had to take down the Warden and Wither, and then they had to regroup and prepare for their next task. He didn't even have time to think about it until the thought briefly struck him as Gem, Scott and Impulse attacked him and dealt the finishing blow, but not before he'd done a healthy amount of damage in return.
He'd only stuck around long enough to see the end, unable to help himself when he reached out to Scar, tell him it was over moments before they parted ways and he could feel his familiar bed on Hermitcraft beneath him once more.
His eyes flickered open slowly, staring up at the blue ceiling above. It was only a moment, but Grian quickly got his senses about him and pushed himself upright with a gasp, one hand gripping his jumper over where he had felt the sword stab through whilst the other dug into the sheets of the bed beneath him. Grian's eyes darted about, taking in his surroundings while waiting for his racing heart to slow into a steadier pace.
He was back. He was safe. He wouldn't have to die any more. Hopefully everyone else would be back soon, but for now it was just him and whoever was out before him.
Before him...
Mumbo.
Despite how unsteady he felt on his feet, Grian was up in moments, hands on the bed for support as the world finally seemed to settle and things began to feel right again. He felt complete again, that aching that was always constantly lurking behind his ribs fading into a dull throb, then vanishing completely as his body and soul finally found what was missing, finding the part of his soul that had went missing ever since Mumbo had died and vanished back to Hermitcraft.
They had never truly been separated, it was impossible. But there was that constant ache reminding them both of the distance, begging them to reunite. But if Grian had given into that demand without a fight then he'd never have lived it down, no matter how much he missed Mumbo. And he wasn't just going to return to him with some tale of how he couldn't live without him, taking his final life just to reunite. It was so corny, but he would have been teased to no end for that.
The thought brought an amused smirk to his face, finally letting go of the bed as he stood upright and took stock of himself. There was still that ache in his chest which he attributed to phantom pains, his body still remembering the sword Gem took him down with, but otherwise he felt... fine. Just like any other respawn, if he had to compare it to something. But that meant he had to go and find Mumbo, now. There was a good chance he'd reconvened with the remaining Hermits once he was back, and maybe got in touch with everyone who returned before Grian, but he had to see for himself that Mumbo was fine.
Forgoing his armour, Grian swung his elytra over his wings, letting the protective shimmer settle over the more fragile pair before giving them an experimental flutter and feeling the brief surge of weightlessness as they began to try and lift him off the ground.
Then he was off, darting out the archway and angling himself to silently land atop the glass of Mumbo's vault, giving him a view inside to find the man. He fell to his knees, leaning on the glass and scanning the interior for even a glimpse of that familiar moustache and finding nothing but a couple pieces of Hotguy memorabilia and a lump under the bed's blankets in the corner.
...Oh.
"Oh, Mumbo," Grian mumbled, a fond but sad smile on his face as he got to his feet and dusted off his trousers. He took a few steps to the edge of the vault and stepped off, wings catching just enough air to keep his landing soft. And with a few easily aimed hits of his pickaxe, Grian took the quickest route into Mumbo's base, placing the blocks back just to maintain their privacy... or as much as you could have with a glass ceiling.
Instead of the expected manic energy of a man whose vault had just been broken into yet again, Grian was greeted with a loud sigh and shuffling beneath the sheets.
"X I'm fine, really mate. You don't need to check in on me every time you 'just happen to be passing'," Mumbo grumbled out. He sounded more annoyed than anything.
Grian knew how to brighten his day.
"Oh, well then. I'll just be go-" Grian started, a gasp interrupting him and the mass of blankets suddenly rising as the man beneath began to writhe and attempt to untangle himself.
"Grian you're back-! Gah, these-" Mumbo called out to Grian, fighting the blankets as if Grian would leave if he took too long. Soon enough, Mumbo was free and stumbling to his feet to meet Grian in what he could only describe as the taller man practically draping himself over the shorter man, tension oozing away as he felt the familiar arms wrapping around his middle. He signed, relieved.
"Missed me?" Grian joked, rubbing a hand soothingly down the curve of Mumbo's spine as he melted further into Grian's embrace. "C'mon, let's move over to the bed. My knees are gonna buckle if you lean on me any more."
The two shuffle-walked to the bed, Grian manoeuvring the two until they were sat on the side, neither willing to separate even a little just yet. They sat in silence, nothing but the rustling of fabric when they moved a little and soft breathing. Just existing in the same space together after their short time apart. Eventually Mumbo took a deep breath, slowly drawing back from Grian with wet eyes and an attempt at a shaky smile.
"So... didn't win?" Mumbo tried to tease.
"That obvious?" Grian gave an almost embarrassed smile and shrug before leaning back into Mumbo's space with a sigh. "No. Gem got me, in the end. I was tempted to intentionally come back sooner, but I just had to see how it ended. I was so close."
"Who won then?" Mumbo probed.
Grian couldn't help the excited grin that snuck onto his face. "Would you believe me if I said it was Scar?"
Mumbo looked almost comically surprised. "Scar?!"
"Right?!" Grian agreed, tugging Mumbo's sleeve so they could lie down, curled close. "I didn't expect it either, but I feel he needed a win after everything those tasks threw at him this time. So if I had to root for anyone that wasn't us, I guess I'm glad it's him."
"I think I have to agree." Mumbo paused to yawn, settling further into the bed. "I'll go congratulate him once he's back then."
Laying silently for a moment, Grian played with the edge of one of Mumbo's lapels before sighing, tilting his head up to catch Mumbo's eyes. "Have you been okay? I know it was a sort of... rough death."
"Yeah! Yeah, don't worry. I'm feeling absolutely lovely," Mumbo replied just a little too quickly.
Grian scrunched his face up in response, suspicious. "I don't think you are, Mumbo Jumbo. So I'm gonna keep asking until you tell me what's really eatin' ya."
They held each other's gaze, one nervous while the other held strong . Mumbo easily caved soon enough, just like Grian knew he would. Sighing, Mumbo lifted an arm up to cover his eyes. Grian could still see the just visible frown on his face.
"It was-" Mumbo paused, mouth opening and closing as if he wasn't sure where to start, or how to explain his issues. "-It was just..." A frustrated sigh. "It was worse than the first time," he finally admitted.
Grian made a soft noise, expression softening as he draped an arm over Mumbo's chest. Once he had started, it felt like he'd opened the floodgates and Mumbo spilled everything on his mind ever since returning from the game.
"And- and!" Mumbo suddenly sits up, sending Grian rolling onto his back as he began to motion with his arms. "It was painful, yes, but I was outsmarted by a fence post. A fencepost, Grian! Being taken out by a Warden is one thing, but tripping over a fencepost I placed a few days back is just-"
Mumbo finally lets out a frustrated groan, shoulders rising and falling as he catches his breath. Grian doesn't say anything, giving the man a moment to collect himself. He had a feeling that Mumbo had more to say.
"-I think it was just a bad run for me this time. But I expected better after so long since the last one I was in. Though they were both pretty unsuccessful endings."
Grian pressed his lips into a thin line. Last time was definitely not a fun time for either of them; Grian had spent days apologising for taking Mumbo out of the game, and he has to fight the urge to apologise for it yet again. He wants to focus on Mumbo today.
"Don't go beating yourself up over it; it was a Warden chasing you. Anyone would panic and make simple mistakes." Grian reached out for Mumbo's hand, threading their fingers together. "I thought it was pretty brave of you, if a little stupid after you'd already died in that lava." Grian's hand tightened at that, voice dropping to a whisper. "I think the lava hurt more to watch. Just because you could have survived the warden if I'd been quick enough with that ladder."
Mumbo lifted his arm away from his eyes, turning his head to look at Grian. Grian could see the way that Mumbo was ready to apologise, mouth opening, and he cut in immediately.
"Oh no, mister! I can see that! Just because it upset me doesn't mean you need to apologise for an accident! Promise." Grian gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, pleased when Mumbo closed his mouth once more and sighed.
"I know the games are fun and all, despite the... bad parts," Mumbo eventually started. "But I think I've decided that discussing it afterwards is utter pants. Like- like we're just apologising to each other for playing a game by the rules! We know how it's gonna go but here we are!"
Grian laughed breathily at that, rolling onto his front, the pair's hands clasped together between them now. "I think it's worth it, if only to make sure neither of us can blame ourselves for being an absolute spoon. Which we are, by the way."
"Oh I'm not denying that, mate. We're the whole cutlery drawer."
Grian made an amused sound then, gently tugging Mumbo to lie on his side so Grian could shuffle sideways, closer to the other warm body on the bed.
"Let's just relax for now. Scar will probably be doing his little ending thing before he comes back, so we probably have a little bit of time."
Silent, Mumbo shuffled around until the pair were pressed close together, warm and feeling the exhaustion wash over them now that they were all finally back on Hermitcraft and the rush of participating in the games was finally wearing off, now that everyone was basically back. They'd doze, never entirely falling asleep until the ping of a communicator alerted them to Scar finally returning. At that, they grabbed their wings and took the opportunity to greet their closet neighbour first, congratulating him on his first win.