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Wyll was aware enough and committed enough to his team that he could notice when there was something wrong with Mugm. He had been really quiet and not his normal self. The longer the two had been teamed he had opened up and was rather funny. What was rather.. concerning is that Mugm had been quiet and subdued all day. Spacing out and just listening to what Wyll does.
“Mugm, talk to me. Come on, clearly something is wrong.” Wyll pushed, keeping his voice light but he was concerned. Sue him for being concerned about the others safety. Mugm wasn’t the brightest when it came to treating his injuries.
“MugM if you’re injured you have to let me know you can't keep it a secret of you getting sick before the season final.” Wyll pushed harder
“Wyll shut up. I’m fine.” MugM snapped, brewing more potions seemingly done with the conversation.
Wyll rolled his eyes. He wasn’t believing the other for a second. Clearly he was not okay judging by the fact he snapped at Wyll for the first time in months.
“I’m not an idiot Mugm. Look I know you don’t understand this whole care thing but clearly something is wrong.” Wyll said, tossing some food into a chest
Much to Wyll’s annoyance, although not shocking, Mugm said nothing else, deciding to focus on the potion that was already done and simply staring at it. Clearly the other was fine in the physical sense. He couldn’t detect anything wrong with the other with wounds or sickness. Mugm’s heart rate was quicker but honestly, Wyll knew the void being was always on edge so it wasn’t exactly a shock.
“Mugm, how many fights have we taken together at this point? We went through the hell that was a golden dream together. I’m not angry or upset but I need to know what’s happening.” Wyll tried again, after all he didn’t want to push too hard but he needed Mugm to know he cared.
“It’s nothing important Wyll.” Mugm finally said, a small amount of exhaustion leaking into his voice as he sighed.
Wyll moved, grabbing Mugm’s hand and forcing the other to look at him. The white void eyes meet the light green eyes full of worry and their own blank white eyes look away to the floor guilty and uncomfortable. Mugm didn’t want to talk about it clearly, but Wyll knew that either Mugm was gonna let it slip later when he was sad. Or do it when he was so angry he couldn’t control his own mouth. Wyll would rather force the other to lash out now and need comfort here then on the battlefield otherwise the other would hide away for months on end.
“It’s clearly important to you if it’s bothering you this much.” Wyll countered, raising a brow and smiling knowingly at Mugm.
“My.. my feelings don’t matter, Wyll.” Mugm snapped, turning and hitting the other hand away from him. He took a step away and continued on trying to make more distance between the two. The two were in a somewhat standoff, Mugm trying to keep face and Wyll too concerned to back down.
“Why is that? Just tell me Mugm!” Wyll was getting irritated, he wanted the other to focus and tell him just why he couldn’t explain to Wyll the problem. To a certain degree Wyll had thought he wished that the others trusted him more. He had thought the other had been trusting him, though clearly that wasn’t true.
“Because I’m not human!” Mugm snapped, rounding on Wyll, his mace in hand. Wyll wasn’t surprised the other had pulled out his weapon clearly Mugm was going through a lot of emotions. This was going to be a problem if Wyll wasn’t able to calm the others down; they couldn’t afford going into fights and risking losing Mugm’s mace and Golden Gem.
“Are you an idiot? Yes you are.” Wyll said, raising his hands calmly. “Everyone here is human.”
Mugm shook his head scoffing, and Wyll was aware the other probably had this on his mind for a while seeing how on edge Mugm was. He knew deep down that the other still hadn’t fully gotten used to his teammates caring about him. Wyll knew how much the brotherhood damaged Mugm. The void being never talked about, he shuts down every time the brotherhood is mentioned in passing, even when it’s just the mention of Nezo he vanishes from days at a time. Wyll never brought up the word brotherhood again after he witnessed just how much distress it caused Mugm no matter how much it bugged him to know.
If Mugm let Wyll keep certain things to himself, then Wyll would pay the same courtesy back. If Mugm wanted to talk about the brotherhood then Wyll would let him. He felt like this would be one of those conversations, he hoped Mugm would open up to him about it.
“Yeah well.. Void being Wyll. I’m not human or like any hybrid you’ve really met, am I?” Mugm’s voice was quiet, like the other truly believed he wasn’t human. Like he was some cog in a machine that didn’t matter. At the end of the day, Wyll couldn’t say he understood what Mugm was thinking or feeling but he knew the other needed help in some way. Wyll wasn’t leaving the other behind again, like last season. He was going to stay this time.
“Yeah but Mugm, who did I willingly choose to team with this season? We’re a team, a duo, we have to be here for each other. Even this gooey feeling stuff.” Wyll said, lowering his now achy arms from being held up as long as they were. He watched Mugm lower his mace and equip it back into his belt. Letting out a small sigh.
“It’s.. it’s brotherhood.” The genuine sadness and hurt in Mugm’s voice already had Wyll angry. Not at Mugm, no never at Mugm, at the brotherhood. About hurting his teammate so much he woke with nightmares, how he thrashed and let out small suppressed cries to not wake him. How Mugm focused on only fighting for the first two months of their team up because that was the only thing he had done for brotherhood.
“What about them?” Wyll kept his voice carefully blank, he couldn’t worry Mugm or worse make the other hesitate to tell him because the hybrid thought Wyll was mad at him.
Mugm seemed tense, and Wyll couldn’t blame him. Wyll wouldn’t want to be talking about something so big like this either but if Mugm was willing to try, Wyll wasn’t going to interrupt him.
“A weapon. That’s what I was.” Mugm finally said, his hands moving back to the potions and this time Wyll didn’t stop him. He figured that the other might just want to do something to distract himself from the topic.
“You said was.” Wyll joked, trying to lighten the room. It worked because Mugm shot a playful glare his way.
Mugm poured water into a bottle his hands, Wyll only now noticed, were shaking badly. Wyll felt pity for him but he pushed it away just as quickly. If it were him he wouldn’t want Pity. So he wasn’t going to give that to Mugm either.
“I was the major combatant of the team.” Mugm finally spoke again, his tail seeming to lower as he seemed to get lost in his head. Wyll remained silent, leaning against the wall and watched. If he felt Mugm was going too far in his head he’d bring the other back. But right now? Mugm needed to get this out.
“Is this.. The conversation that happened with Silva?” Wyll remembered vaguely how after Silva had asked to meet with Mugm how the other just seemed to be back in his shell. Didn’t joke, didn't smile, didn't do anything Wyll had started to see as normal for Mugm. It took a while but eventually Mugm went back to it, though days like these he was clearly distracted and bugged.
“A weapon doesn’t have feelings, Wyll.” Mugm whispered, his hands clenching beside him the potions left forgotten on the brewing stands. “But I do HAVE feelings.”
Wyll could tell Mugm was just trying to convince himself. The slight desperation in his voice only made Wyll more nervous. Because this was the build up. So many other things must’ve gone wrong for Mugm to be this affected. His eyes found Mugm’’s.
“You do have feelings.” Wyll agreed, because what else could he say? What could he say that wouldn’t trigger Mugm’s fight or flight response and be left to more than likely sit here alone for days worried and guilty.
“So I’m not a weapon!” Mugm snapped, his hands moving to his hair as ran his hands through the tangled mess. No longer a braid but just tangled knots and a mess that Wyll knew had Mugm been in a better head space he’d be all over fixing his hair.
“I never said you were, I know you aren’t. And even if you thought you were, does that make me one too?” Wyll said, his voice low. He knew Mugm, he knew that would make the other nervous.
“No! No what, you aren’t a weapon??” Mugm said, his voice confused and nervous.
Wyll smiled, making eye contact with Mugm again. “Then what makes you one?”
Mugm went silent, not looking at Wyll and clearly thinking.
“When I was jealous of you last season. When I betrayed you.” Wyll began, because hell it was only fair that Wyll gave something to Mugm in return. The other needed to know how much Wyll cared about him.
The mention of the betrayal had Mugm stiffening and uncomfortable. His eyes tracked Wyll with confusion, and Wyll wasn’t surprised that the other was confused. Wyll refused to talk about the betrayal, Mugm too. They both moved on from it and ignored that problem because, frankly, it was easier. Being around the other had been awkward but once they started to avoid the topic they became the duo from before.
“It felt like you were better than me, worlds better than me. That you had earned that title, that you were better than me after everything else. That everything I had worked for was gone.” Wyll explained it, ignoring the way Mugm looked hurt and offended. Mugm had to know.
“I didn’t want the title. I never wanted it, you knew that!” Mugm snapped, he wasn’t angry, he was hurt. Wyll wasn’t going to say anything but he could tell the other was teary eyed.
“That didn’t matter at the time. You had taken the one group that had me mean something on the server. So I figured once I took that away from you I would feel better.” Wyll said, his own tail wrapping around his ankle as he looked away from Mugm.
Wyll let out a small oof when Mugm grabbed him. He didn’t move as he stared down at Mugm, he wasn’t crazy taller than the other but it was a decent few inches. Mugm’s hands shook and Wyll was aware if he didn’t get Mugm calm things would get ugly quickly/ Not that it was Mugm’s fault, he had too many pent up emotions for the life of him. Wyll didn’t want to have to be bed ridden with another injury again though.
“How dare you. How dare you stand here after everything and decide to talk about something that we agreed-!”
“But we didn’t. We never said we weren’t talking about it. Sure, it was unspoken but if we continue to not say anything how are we going to trust each other fully again?” Wyll said, grabbing Mugm's wrist and pulling it away from his own neck. He gripped it tightly and watched the small wince that Mugm showed.
“So now what..? Now you want to talk about it after everything!” Mugm said, his voice cracking and his head rested on Wyll’s shoulder as his shoulders trembled with unreleased tears.
“I want to help you Mugm. We are a team no matter what. If you need to talk about it, then yes we need to talk about it.” Wyll said, his voice low and calm. Mugm was younger than him, not to say he wasn’t also affected but clearly Mugm didn’t have anybody in his corner after Wyll betrayed him. Mugm looked so confused about the idea of help and it was making Wyll feel worse.
“The brotherhood I hate them- they just- they won’t leave me alone!” Mugm snapped, his fists tightening and he pulled his wrist slightly, Wyll still holding it. Funnily enough, Mugm didn’t lift his head away from Wyll.
“They just can’t understand how good of a teammate you are. That’s their own fault.” Wyll said, keeping a firm grip on the other's wrist and carefully laying his other hand on the shorter head. He could tell the other was getting upset. He had only seen Mugm cry twice; the first time was when he had a dream about brotherhood and he couldn't calm down. The other was Wyll’s first betrayal. The only betrayal.
“How am I a good teammate..?” Mugm’s voice shook, his eyes watering. Wyll flinched at the crack in the other's voice. It sounded so broken and he knew Mugm wouldn’t be so normal about this.
Wyll thought for a few moments, his fingers slowly moving through Mugm’s hair. “Every quality about you, your strength, protectiveness, your knowledge, it all makes you a good teammate.”
Mugm’s breathing picked up, Wyll could hear it. Wyll had to choose his next words carefully. He knew if he said something wrong here Mugm was running. He wouldn’t be able to get Mugm to open up like this again.
Wyll spoke up again, voice low. “I just want to say like.. Uhh how do I put this.. If it’s any solace to you at all, I do not think you’re a weapon.” He could tell just how much those words effected him. The way his shoulders trembled and the small broken sob that came from Mugm’s mouth. Wyll held him saying nothing.
“Damnit- help- I-” Mugm cried, his voice cracking. “I’m weak-”
Wyll sighed, continuing to run his hands through the other's hair. “You aren’t weak, humans have to show emotions.”
“I’m tired Wyll- I’m so tired… I don’t want to be the villain anymore.” Mugm whispered
Wyll sighed, letting go of Mugm’s wrist and sitting down beside him. Leaning against the wall as Mugm continued to cry, he could hear, hell he could feel how much the other needed this.
“You don’t have to be. Not anymore. I’m here, it’ll be okay.” Wyll said, wrapping his arms around Mugm.
Mugm continued to cry for a little while longer, he stopped exhausted and spent. He looked his age, like he was only 19 and in a world full of people that deemed him evil. When really he was given the title after betrayal after betrayal.
“Don’t… don’t betray me again.” Mugm said, keeping his head on Wyll, voice drowsy
Wyll knew Mugm was drifting to sleep and he smiled, moving both hands through the other's hair and braiding it. “Yeah. Yeah I’m here to stay, Mugm.”
Mugm nodded, his eyes fluttering and his chest rising and falling at a more normal pace. It didn’t take long for Mugm to drift off after that clearly the conversation took far more out of the other than what Wyll had assumed it would.
Wyll carefully moved, kneeling in front of Mugm and lifting the void hybrid up, making careful steps deeper into the base until he reached the void beings bedroom. He flicked on the light with one hand blinking, surprised at the messy unorganized room. The last few times he had been in Mugm’s room it had been almost spotless. Wyll’s eyes caught a photo album and quickly looked away. With how old the photo album looked he assumed it was from the brotherhood. He had enough of them for the next few months. He slowly made his way to the bed and his eyes found an open journal. Against his better judgment, he still decided to read.
__
Day 871,
Another dream. Another dream of them. Why can’t they leave me alone? Why does it always come back to THEM! I’m just so tired. I know I don’t show my emotions often but that doesn’t make me any less human right? I.. I am human. I know I am. Or.. I was seen as one at least. Wyll sees me as human. Right? Maybe I will finally talk with him about it. Who am I kidding? I’m probably going to chicken out again.
__
Wyll sighed, not reading any further. He shouldn’t have read any to begin with. He slowly nudged the book away from where he was going to put Mugm. Once he pulled back the covers he set Mugm down and carefully laid the other down. Watching how the other curled up tightly his back to the wall even in sleep looking for the exit. Wyll shook his head. Focus.
“You are one hell of a person to be around huh Mugm?” Wyll said, voice low and quiet. He stood up moving to the other side of the room and picked up the photo album.
He was curious and he needed to see what made Mugm flip out the way it did. He looked down at the album, immediately he stared at a picture of Mugm and Nezo. His eyes focused on Mugm’s bright smile as he held up a peace sign, Nezoshoki beside him with his tongue out and a peace sign.
Wyll stared a little longer, a burning annoyance and protectiveness simmering inside of him. Nezo was lucky Mugm avoided fights with him. Wyll was going to end Nezoshoki’s whole career before it even started. Mugm was someone that Wyll trusted a lot, clearly the other trusted him too.
“What are we going to do with your self-depricating self Mugm?” Wyll said, shaking his head and sighing. It didn’t stop the playful smile pulling at his lips. He moved and sat back down beside Mugm, shutting the album and resting it on the bedside table as he leaned back. He didn’t say anything else, just remaining there as an anchor for the other when he woke up.
He had known something was wrong with Mugm from the start. He had hoped that Mugm would open up to him and just like he had wished for, the other did. Had openly been trying hard to get the other to talk and finally after everything it had happened. Wyll knew how much courage and how much Mugm had to drop his walls to do it, but he was so grateful for the other to do it. It made him feel more nice inside to know that Mugm finally trusted him as much as he did before Wyll decided to do something and fuck everything up.
From now on, he would be there, Wyll refused to let Mugm deal with the brotherhood or with nightmares or anything by himself again. If he had to remind the other every single day that he was human then Wyll would do it. Wyll had no regrets pairing with Mugm again, he went through the unease, the nerves, the awkwardness but now? Now they are going to continue on. Because they trusted each other more now than they ever had before.
“Get some rest Mugm. You deserve it.” Wyll whispered, running his hands through the others hair again and leaning his own head on the bed, shutting his eyes and breathing slowly. There was nobody on this server that he’d rather be teamed with then with Mugm.