Check the tws in the description or fic!Grian gets it xoxo
CHAPTER TWO:
What Was I Made For - Billie Eilish
There was a very large variety of options and games for them to choose from, but one in particular stood out against the rest:
The first game seemed simple enough, just shooting chickens with arrows. Or atleast, it seemed simple enough until it got really complicated. The ticking of redstone could be heard in the background for a moment before the machinery sprung to life in ways that nobody had previously even comprehended or imagined. The platforms with the chickens began to rise and rotate in precise and complex patterns, this mini game was going to be a lot more difficult than they originally thought.
Grian and Ex took their bows from their respective chests, and grabbed an appropriate amount of arrows, 10, according to the chest (5 each).
So, there was 5 chickens floating/moving at each station, with 4 stations in total (so more hermits could play at once). The two walked over to station number 1, bows and arrows in hands.
Ex let Grian go first, out of what the hermit in the red sweater believed to be pity, and he raised his loaded bow, arms trembling slightly out of the tension building in them; aiming it the best he could at the first chicken. He fired, he missed.
Tears threatened to fall from his eyes again, for reasons that Grian knew were silly and oh so invalid. Ex flung his arm over the other's shoulder and offered a small smile of reassurance, before raising Grian's arm that wielded the bow. He loaded it with one of his (Ex's) arrows and adjusted Grian's arm to the general vicinity of the chicken.
['I used to float, now I just fall down']
This game was difficult.
Grian shot, he hit the chicken , killing it and in result lighting up redstone lamp number ⅕.
Grian smiled, wide and genuine, "Thanks"
"No worries," Ex grinned, though beneath his visor.
Now it was Ex's turn, and he did that chicken absolutely no justice, swiftly killing it through a single shot.
Grian smiled, though he couldn't help but feel stupid at not being able to do it on the first try with so much ease.
The third chicken hit first try (thanks to Grian), as did the fourth (Ex), and now it was only the fifth chicken left; with 5 arrows. 5 tries. That's all they had to kill it, so it was going about as well as it could be.
"You do it, Ex" Grian proposed, "You're better than me at this stuff."
Ex hesitated, before loading his bow with an arrow.
He shot and won, which was rather anticlimactic to be completely honest, because all they got was a piece of paper with the word 'orange' on it.
Next, they moved a few games down, to one of 'guess the hermit' through clues. How it works is that there are three clues that lead to one hermit, who is randomly generated. It was a basic concept, so in theory they should guess it easily and therefore win.
They walked over and sat in booth #1. An image showed on the screen in front of them; redstone.
"Zedaph!" Ex called, that was guess 1 / 3.
The console flashed red "Wrong," its robotic voice called.
Okay, two more clues and two more guesses, they could do this.
The next clue was a bike.
"Mumbo!" Grian guessed.
['I used to know, but I'm not sure now']
The machine flashed green. Correct.
They had the first hermit, they just needed two more to be given another page.
The screen cleared, then a deep green colour came up. This was the first clue.
"Cleo!" Grian shouted, the screen flashed red. Wrong. Okay.
Then there was flowers. Grian and Ex were both lost.
Next there was a close-up photo of fine, ginger hair. Unmistakably Gem.
"Gem!" Ex shouted.
The screen went green, correct.
Final round, this could make or break their score.
It was a light blue screen.
"Any ideas?" Ex asked.
"No," Grian replied, "None at all"
Ex hummed, clicking the next clue, it was a bow and arrow, "I'm still absolutely lost," Grian muttered.
"Yeah no same here,"
The last clue was a smirk. Everyone knew who the smirk belonged to - in context or not - it was unmistakably Scar's.
"GoodtimeswithScar!" Grian yelled.
Scar popped his head around into the booth, "You called?"
Grian screeched, terror filling through his veins for a second before he relaxed again, "DON'T DO THAT!"
Scar laughed loudly, and both Iskall and Mumbo peeked around the corner. The smile that was on Mumbo's face quickly wiped itself off.
The screen lit green for a correct answer, but the tension in the room overloaded the atmosphere. A page flew out of the centre console of the machine, and Ex leant forwards to grab it, unaware of what was going on around him. "Hey! Grian look we got my bro-" he stopped talking and took in what was happening.
"This game is free now," Ex said loudly, dragging Grian up from the seat and out by the wrist.
Grian was distracted by ignoring the itch of the eyes that bore into the cracks of his skull, stabbing and pushing at buttons that he would never want to relive the effects of.
He paled, the broken walls of his emotions rebuilding themselves at a rapid rate. The smile faded from his face to be replaced by a mostly unnoticeable shake that spread across the entirety of him.
But Mumbo didn't even spare a glance at him. He didn't even notice his presence. Why?
Why now?
It was like he was looking through him, not at him. He had a sour expression.
Grian wanted to cry. This wasn't Mumbo, this wasn't his Mumbo.
He didn't even have to look at Mumbo to know just how much he'd fucked this up. He failed with... everything. And as much as his heart yearned for him to stare right at his 'ex friend', he couldn't bring himself to. Because they weren't friends anymore, just strangers with memories. And even that was going far, overestimating everything; the memories will fade, and then they will be left with nothing at all. Strangers.
And it took all of him to turn around and walk away, not crying. He climbed into the mine cart opposite where they'd entered the mini-game haven, waiting for Ex, who shot an apologetic glance at Iskall, who stood confused, having just gotten out of the entering minecart. They pulled the lever and were instantly swept away, back into the world of "cheery music" and supposed happiness.
So why didn't Grian feel happy? Maybe it was because his head felt clouded by sour remnants of thoughts, or maybe it was just a curse which was cast upon him that he'd always feel inferior to the world. But in the end, it was his fault that he just wasn't enough for anyone. He stared idly at his trembling hands, did everyone hate him? Maybe this was just Mumbo's breaking point.
They'd all leave eventually, they always did.
['What I was made for...']
He could try, but he'd fail anyways, so what was the point?
He felt Ex looking at him, but he didn't look back. If he met his eyes then that could crumble too, and that would be the last straw. He was next to one of his best friends, he shouldn't feel so alone. And oh, they were at the exit now.
Grian shuddered then smiled awkwardly, "I think I'm going to head home now, thank you for trying Ex, it was fun."
Ex looked unsure, "Do you want company?"
"No, I'm kind of tired. I think I'll take a nap or something." They both got out of the minecart.
"Grian its..." Ex looked at the time on his communicator, "barely even lunch"
"It's fine, late night. I'll grab something to eat beforehand." The bare mention of food made him feel sick; his appetite had been long-gone for a few days now with the constant anxiety gnawing at his ankles at every step he took.
"Okay, I'm walking you back though." They both came to a compromise, as Ex knew better than to overstep Grian's boundaries without permission to do so.
"Fine."
And so they did, sure, it was a silent walk back, but it was a calm kind of silence. One that was a short peace in Grian's ongoing internal war. It was fine.
The walk, though, did not take very long at all considering how they took many shortcuts to get there faster.
Soon enough they reached Grian's door, when the most unexpected thing happened. If Grian had a nickel for every time that Ex had hugged him in a day, he would have two nickels; which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened. Not that Ex was against hugs or anything, it was just unusual for him to be so touchy with others.
['What was I made for?....']
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Long time no see!! Sorry about that;
- school is getting harder and i have less time to do stuff for myself
- my mental health is failing on me, and I chose this song for this chapter because it reflects both fic!Grian and I :))))
Go drink and eat and stuff and yeah, stay cool, hopefully I'll have more chapters out soon!
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