Grumbo Oneshots

Fairy Lights (Fluff + Angst)

(⚠️Warning: Er, well, I don't want to spoil anything but there is a sensitive topic, so here's a vague warning⚠️)

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Mumbo drags Grian out from the forest shadows, pulling him into a clearing with the shimmering, illuminated white light of the full moon raining down on both of them. The mixture of indigo and black blend perfectly together, molding in beautiful darkness with nothing but galaxies and stars speckled around above their heads.

As Mumbo brings Grian closer to the cliff edge to show him the breathtaking view, Mumbo's left heel steps inside of a tiny dip in the soil. His balance dissipates and his tall figure falls down, bringing Grian down alongside since he didn't release his grip on Grian's hands. Grian unleashes a yelp as he collides down onto his boyfriend, the grass underneath them staining their clothes a dark green color.

Mumbo groans for a moment before Grian begins to laugh hysterically, his body bouncing as his mouth curves into a bright smile. A heavy blush crashes onto Mumbo's cheeks before he begins to laugh alongside in embarrassment. Luckily, his heavy blush was covered by the darkness of the night, but the laughter he emitted was enough to signal that he was evidently humiliated.

"Oh my goodness! You-You tripped over your own feet, you sp-spoon," Grian began laughing so hard, his laughing turned silent as he clutched onto his boyfriend's now stained clothes. The sandy blonde begins to take deep breaths to help calm himself down, his eyes beginning to glimmer from joyous tears.

"O-Oh hush. You'll wake up Ren and the others if you continue to laugh like that," Mumbo huffs out, gently pushing Grian off and sitting up. Grian apologizes with a shaking voice, still not settled after the funny encounterment. 

"S-Sorry..." Grian takes a few more deep breaths and places a hand to his chest. He looks around at the brilliant, star infested sky and the full moon. "This is pretty."

"Yeah yeah, the moment of peace was ruined a moment ago." Mumbo rolls his eyes, crosses his arms with an exasperated puff and turns his head away from Grian.

"Aw, I didn't mean to laugh. It just came out, babe," Grian shuffles across the dirt to snuggle against his agitated boyfriend. His short giggles made Mumbo loosen since his angry act would only make Grian laugh again. "Now hug me!"

"Alright, alright," Mumbo opens his arms and bundles his arms around Grian's curled figure. Grian presses his ear against Mumbo's chest and watches the dazzling dots millions of miles above them. Mumbo watches alongside, both of them looking upwards while sitting on the ground.

Some of the college students, a part of the Hermit program, decided to go camping for a school project over the weekend. School is coming closer to ending, the temperatures become warmer with clearer skies. Mumbo chose the camping location since he wanted to show his one and only love an amazing star gazing sight. The sky just happened to be cloudless, full of vital, glowing stars that radiate light.

Mumbo told Grian that he had a surprise for him when the night fell down, so Grian was basically buzzing with excitement and couldn't sleep for a single second. The little clearing in the forest was patched with darkness and Grian became scared, but when Mumbo pulled Grian through the darkness and into the clearing on the cliffside, Grian felt relieved.

"When I was really young, I had fairy lights around my bed. The stars remind me of them since the stars are so bright tonight. I'm... I'm scared of the dark." Grian begins with a light voice, a voice that can easily be picked up in the wind and unnoticed. "When you pulled me through the forest, it scared me, honestly. There was no light."

"Grian, there's nothing in the darkness though," Mumbo says, ducking his head down to plant a tender kiss on top of Grian's head.

"I'm not scared of what's in the darkness. I'm scared that I will be in the darkness forever, stuck without a voice and no one would miss me," as Grian spoke, Mumbo began to lightly rock him. "But then I felt a little safe in the forest because I felt your hand with mine and I can tell you would never let go."

Mumbo closes his eyes as his fingers begin to play with Grian's longer locks. 

"I would never let go of you, Grian," Mumbo twirls his forefinger inside of one of Grian's curls, easing Grian's mind from his fear. "Tell me what the fairy lights look like."

"They are like any ordinary ones. Tiny,  round bulbs and bronze wiring. I loved them and whenever the batteries died, I either began to cry or didn't sleep," Grian sighs, gladly reminiscing about the little speckled, warm lights that would hang lazily around his bed frame. "My parents gave them to me during Christmas one year."

After that statement, they fall into a tranquil silence with only crickets chirping in the distance and the faint rustling of tree leaves. Mumbo keeps playing with Grian's golden strands, Grian finding himself leaning against the touch with a calm, gentle beam.

"What if, next time we come here, I string up fairy lights in a pathway, and you can light it up when you come through?" said Mumbo, placing yet another passionate peck but on Grian's forehead this time. Grian closes his eyes and smiles with content.

"That would be lovely..." Grian's smile grows and he looks up at Mumbo, his blue eyes twinkling the same amount of life as the stars. They both catch each other's gaze before sharing a heartwarming, affectionate kiss.

.....

That was four months ago. The very last memory Mumbo shared with Grian before...

Mumbo couldn't believe it, and he refused to believe it. 

A life without Grian seemed impossible, but here he was, standing in front of a stone slab underneath an old willow tree. 

The same willow tree where they shared their first-ever kiss.

It was Grian's wish to be buried next to the tree, wanting to watch the little buds and beautiful waterfall like vines that hang down, bloom in the spring.

Mumbo tightens his hold on the news article that he printed from a public library. His left-hand grips something else in his clutch as his right hand begins to give creases onto the printed papers.

He begins to duck down and pull out the stringed item that was wrapped inside of a small, plastic box. The fairy lights begin to wrap around the tombstone. The sun is setting, the breeze kicking off coldly tonight.

"Here you go, love, for the nights you are scared. Let the fairy lights illuminate the pathway so you can follow them to peace." Mumbo sets the little box down, the centerpiece of the entire stringed lights. 

He inserts batteries inside of their respective slots before closing the little, white plastic lid. His thumb flicks the tiny black switch and promptly, the little seed shaped bulbs come to life.

"I hope you like them... They are like the ones you described, a replica of the ones your parents gave you." Mumbo continues as his voice begins to crack and shudder. He places the printed pages down next to one of the massive tree roots.

The big, black titled words practically scream at him.

Massive shooting at Hermitcraft College Campus.

Then the slightly smaller text below it.

Sixteen found dead, thirty-eight reported injured.

Mumbo looks at the sunset and sits comfortably on the lush grass next to the tombstone. His body shivers a little bit but he remains seated on the soil, keeping his eyes glued to the scenery of the sun immersing under the field horizon.

After a few, long silent minutes, Mumbo stands up. 

"Remember that the lights are here for you when the stars aren't, love... I will come back as soon as I can and replace the batteries so they can stay bright," Mumbo stuffs his hands into the pockets of his black pants. "I love you, Grian..."

He turns around and begins to walk down the gravel trail to go back to his car and leave. His figure slowly retreats, leaving nothing but the breeze to carry the reported documents. The sheets of paper began to flutter and dance around in the cooler wind.

Studious, college scholar and president of the Hermit group, twenty-two-year-old Grian was found dead first in the scene, with three bullet holes shot through his head.