T/W: mentions of the following: food shortage, death(knifes and strangling), being locked in, Sam, homelessnesses
Hermit(s): Grian, Mumbo
Type: prompt, oneshot, h/c,
Prompt:
Mumbo likes stealing Grian 's phone to change Grian 's phone wallpaper into something stupid (like unattractive pictures of Grian 's face or a dumb meme). Mumbo is doing another routine swipe of Grian 's phone, but doesn't have the heart to change it because this time because Grian's phone wallpaper is a cute picture of the two of them (like their first date together, or the only picture they have together).
I will alter it, for instance, the picture is of Grian and someone else bc I don't like romantic shipping. #aroace
POV: Mumbo
Grian had been acting strange lately. He would randomly pull out his phone, stare at it, tear up in a sad way, and then wipe the tears off his face and pretend that nothing happened. And Mumbo was tired of watching his friend be sad, and not being able to help.
And that was why he was now sneaking around in Grian's living room, where he had- for some reason- left his phone while showering. Mumbo picked it up and face palmed as he realized that, of course Grian had a password on his phone!
Mumbo stared blankly at the phone screen, trying to think of what the password could be.
'1234?' He wondered. 'No, that's to simple, easy to guess. His birthday?' At that, Mumbo tried the number, only for it to tell him that it was too long. 'Aurgggg!' He mentally screamed. Then he noticed something. The phone case seemed to be extra thick, while the phone was the newest edition, much thinner than the case.
Mumbo, curious, carefully slid off the case to reveal a paper underneath, making the case chunky. He opened the paper to see an old-ish looking photo. The photo featured a much younger Grian in a uniform, with to people, one on each side.
The guy on the left had short, black hair and black, red and blue headphones. He wore the same uniform as Grian, blazer, white undershirt, black tie, and navy blue jeans to match the blazer. On said blazer was a golden colored badge, with some words that Mumbo couldn't make out.
The guy on the right had short brown hair, a boyish face, and, surpassingly, white rabbit ears, although, Mumbo couldn't tell if it was a headband, or real ears, attached to the boy's head.
Mumbo was, as it turned out, so puzzled by the picture that he didn't notice Grian walk up behind him, apparently having finished his shower.
"I guess I should tell you now, shouldn't I." Grian said, startling Mumbo. "Ahh- oh, uh, hi Grian... um... wait, tell me what?" The spoon stuttered. Grian let out a cold chuckle, and answered with "get some blankets, pillows and ice cream while I start a fire." He finished, heading toward the fire place.
After the necessary items were gathered, the to sat on the couch, which they moved closer to the fire, but not too close, and ate ice cream under the blankets and pillows.
And after they had gathered all those things, and tissues, which concerned Mumbo slightly, Grian told his tale.
"Once there was a boy. That boy never knew his parents, siblings, if he had any, and aunt and uncle were foreign words to him. Love was just a word that meant 'pretend to like us or else', and home was wherever the boy could find a meal, a bed, a blanket, warmth of any kind, really.
This boy was on the run. From what? He didn't know, and wouldn't for a long time. And this boy, we will call him Xelqua for now, eventually ended up in school. He was behind, but a fast learner, and soon caught up.
Eventually, Xelqua went to high school. Yandree high, it was called. It was a boarding school taking exchange students who where exceptionally gifted, and from poor families or rough backgrounds.
And Xelqua was one of these exchange students. He entered, and was bummed up to 11th grade, a 14 year old amongst the 16 year olds. His roommates where a two boys. Sam, and Taurtis. They, to, were 14 in with the 16 year olds.
The three immediately became friends. The first few weeks went as good as you would expect. The three of them got good grades and talked with the other students, while maintaining a decent sleep schedule.
But one day, they entered their first period classroom, only to find the teacher dead by the chalkboard. He had hung himself, apparently after the death or breakup of his wife.
As you might imagine, school was suspended for the fallowing week while investigations were going on.
Eventually, everything was back to normal. Xelqua got a new teacher, and everything was fine again.
But as things started to go south, with one suspicious thing after another, finally, the school was closed for the rest of the year. But what no one knew was that three students had been locked in their respective lockers before the school closed. And, unbeknownst to anyone of any kind of authority was no where near the building. The three boys just so happened to be none other than Sam, Tauris, and Xelqua.
The first few hours were rather enjoyable. They figured that someone would open the school back up the next day, as it was a weekday. But, unfortunately, the three had missed the assembly where it was announced that school was done for the entire year.
By morning the three were having doubts. By noon, they where hungry and raided the cafeteria. However, unfortunately, almost all of the food had been taken out the last day of school. All that was left was a few loaves of stale bread hidden in the back of a cabinet.
As another day passed, and they discovered that the plumbing had been turned off, as well as the electricity, panic set in.
At first they made simple, plans. Eg, break a window. But as they discovered that there had been a frost overnight and no one could open the windows, and that the glass was bulletproof, to protect the students, plans turned into last ditch attempts, which then turned into insanity. In one boy in particular. Sam.
The night they ran out of food, every last inch of warmth drained from the building and the taps ran dry, an argument started. The argument turned into a fight. And the fight turned into a full-blown survival of the fittest situation. Sam had found a knife, and losses his sanity. Xelqua had lost a friend, and re-found his instincts.
From his time as a Wonderer, a kid on the streets, and the occasional theft, he had learned a few things that he had thought he had forgotten.
He had learned how to fire a gun, pick a lock, use a sword and dodge knifes. To punch and kick and fight. And still he barely got out with his life, both of the other boys dead. Tartus stabbed by Sam, and Sam choked by Xelqua.
He than fled, the one picture of the good times in hand.
After that, Xelqua got his life together. He got a job, finished school, rented an apartment, and took up a hobby. Building. Soon, he was contacted by the admins. They offered to train him, and he agreed.
After a few years, he was a high level admin. And he decided to start a server. Evo, short for evolution. It was a time-travel server, a feet of since and magic. He invited a few people, who also invited a few people, until he had a healthy group of ten. And, the ten, after a lot of roses, included Taurtis.
Xelqua was more than thrilled to see his friend, who he thought was dead. After a tearful reunion, the ten players went on to, eventually, beet the Enderdragon.
And after two years of letters, asking him to join, Xelqua got approval to join Hermitcraft. The server of legends.
"And here is Xelqua!" Grian finished, pointing at himself. Mumbo had less than half of the tissue box left, and Grian had tears in his eyes, both happy and sad.
The two shared a long hug, and then Mumbo asked "what level of admin are you? I know Xisuma's an indigo, but what about you?" Grian only smiled, winked, and disappeared in a cloud of golden magic.