Ｆａｌｌｉｎｇ [MCSM: Season One, Ep. 1-4]

11. A Little Closer

As soon as Jesse, Olivia, and Axel rushed outside in response to the quaking Wither Storm, you and Lukas got on the ball and began your fortifying duties. You didn't have a lot to work with so that's where the improvisation came into play. After a while, the two of you fell into a rhythm of sorts: Lukas would venture out to collect wood, stone, and other essential blocks while you lingered, searching the place for anything else of value. When he returned, he would toss the items up to you, and you would begin the long process of building.

You mostly concerned yourself with repairing holes in the walls so mobs couldn't stagger in as they pleased–that was until Lukas came back for good with the confident claim that he had gathered all the materials that would be needed to finish up. So he took your place mending the old structure and you moved on, cautiously starting construction on a mini balcony that sat above the main entrance. You were mainly crafting it out of quartz, so you were a lot more careful with where you placed each individual block or slab since you didn't have a pickaxe to break it with if a mistake was enacted. You were a bit surprised—skeptical, even—when Lukas volunteered you to create such a complicated addition to the already complex temple, but then you remembered that he literally had zero idea your skill level was far below average when it came to doing even the simplest of things in this world, as he assumed—rightfully so—that you just belonged here, like everyone else. You didn't want to disappoint him and subject yourself to needless shame, so instead of objecting, you sucked it up and got to work.

During this process, there were a multitude of occasions where you nearly fell on your rear end—or off the edge entirely—and managed to catch your balance by the skin of your teeth. You were relieved that Lukas had migrated somewhere else inside the massive structure and didn't bear witness to any of your flustering kerfuffles, for if he had, it would've been, well...flustering. You didn't want him thinking you were some kind of klutz, after all.

As it grew dark, it became more difficult to see clearly, which made your task even more dangerous, which meant taking even more care in your actions. Bloodthirsty mobs growled below—a small group of ugly green zombies, you figured—and you gazed down warily as you attached the final block to the rest of the gravity-confronting structure with excessive caution. The logic of this world was beyond confusing, and you still had the repressed fear that everything that didn't have a base of some kind would just cease to work and crash down while you were on top of it. Such a scene had yet to actually transpire, but try as you might, you couldn't settle the unease you felt at the concept.

"Nice job," Lukas said, walking up behind you with a calm aura that you were a little jealous of. "I'd say this building is officially secure."

After you shifted away from the edge of the balcony-like design, you met his eyes, trying to get a decent view of him in the pale lighting. "After all this work? I sure hope so."

He leaned against the handmade door frame with folded arms. "I wonder how long it'll take the others to get back."

You considered it a moment, attempting to quell the pang of concern that echoed through your chest. "Hopefully no more than a few hours. I hope they stay safe."

"They know what they're doing," he reassured, gently clapping the back of your shoulder. "I'm sure everything's fine."

You hummed, not entirely convinced, and stared at the expanse of trees and small hills below. "Yeah. Probably."

Dismissing the topic, he sauntered past you, pulling a bow from his inventory and holding it at the ready, where he aimed with frightening accuracy and managed to shoot every zombie his eyes could locate from this height. The image of Legolas popped into your brain and you hid a partially amused, partially captivated smile with your hair.