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Grian watched Mumbo devour his share of rabbit stew with vigor, clearly not used to the sensation of hunger.
"Do you want seconds?"
"Yes please!" He glanced at Grian's bowl which was still three quarters full and frowned. "Aren't you going to eat?"
"I ate"
"Aren't you going to eat more?"
"Eh" Grian shrugged as he pushed his helping across the table and took Mumbo's empty bowl. "I ate all I need"
Mumbo looked as though he wanted to argue, but his stomach growled loudly before he could, making Grian smirk and nod towards the stew.
"Eat. I don't need you complaining all night"
Mumbo flushed and picked up the spoon.
"I-I don't complain that much"
"Oh really? Grian, my hands hurt! Grian, I'm hungry! Grian, I'm cold! Grian, I don't want to hunt! Grian, I can't shoot a bow to save my life!"
Mumbo's jaw dropped and he sputtered madly, a dark scarlet blush creeping up his neck to stain his cheeks.
"I-I... y-you-"
"Ah just eat your soup" Grian chided, suppressing a laugh at the pout he received from the young God.
I wouldn't tease him so much if he wasn't so reactive.
After Mumbo finished eating and his face had returned to its normal complexion, the two retired to the living room.
"Do you, um, want to see how the record works with the phonograph?"
Grian did his best not to show any excitement but he couldn't help a slight smile from curving his lips.
"Sure I guess"
He sat with his cheek leaning against his hand, watching as Mumbo did his beautiful display of drawing glittering red lines through the air.
Within a minute, the strange music machine was clattering down on the table, and Mumbo was carefully placing the strange black disk in the center.
Grian's eyes widened in surprise as light classical music began floating from the speakers.
"How are you doing that?!"
Mumbo chuckled lightly making Grian kick himself for getting so obviously excited.
"Do you... like it?"
Grian nodded, allowing himself to relax a bit under Mumbo's relieved expression.
He's your friend now. Don't be so... yourself.
He felt the tight squeeze in his chest, the well known self reminder of his own worthlessness, and took a breath.
He showed you something amazing, so you need to give him something.
"Do you want to see something cool?"
Mumbo nodded, and Grian beckoned him to follow him out the door.
They walked across the frozen ground, the silence of the night permeating their eardrums.
"Where are we going?" Mumbo asked, shivering slightly.
"We need to get to a place where humans can't see us" Grian responded, shrugging off his cloak and giving it to the younger God. If it hadn't been dark he probably would've seen the dark blush that spread across Mumbo's face at the repeated gesture.
They walked across the forest until they were completely shadowed by a large hill. Grian stopped and backed up from Mumbo, tugging off his gloves.
"Stand back a bit ok?"
He rubbed his hands together until the familiar warmth of fire began to crackle between his fingers. When he deemed it hot enough, Grian cupped his hands together, focusing on the growing heat in his palms while simultaneously building the intensity of explosives in his stomach.
"Grian? is everything-"
CRACK
Grian threw the ball of light into the air and it exploded into a dazzling golden firework ten feet above their heads.
Mumbo flinched at the sound but his fear was instantly replaced by wonder at the spectacle before him.
"That's... that was..."
The tremor in his voice made Grian's stomach knot up and he rushed forwards.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you! You didn't get hurt right?"
"Beautiful"
Grian felt his face flush beneath his mask at the profound look of warmth in Mumbo's eyes as he stared down at him.
"I... thank you?"
Mumbo opened his mouth to speak but a rustling from within the trees caught both of their attention.
Hissssssssssssss
"Get back!" Grian yelled pushing Mumbo away just in time as the creeper before them exploded.
"Ah!" Mumbo yelled, falling to the ground. "What the hell is that?!"
"Creepers! Get up and get behind me"
Mumbo I'm so sorry. You're going to see what I am.
~~~
Mumbo rubbed the bruise on his arm as he stepped behind the small God. He heard Grian snap his fingers and a torch lit up the area around them. Mumbo felt his heart skip a beat at the mass of green bobbing heads creeping towards them in the trees.
"Take this!"
Grian pushed the torch into Mumbo's hands and took a step forward.
"What are you going to do?!"
He heard Grian let out a harsh breath as he raised his hands.
"Just... stay behind me"
"But-"
He was cut off as a creeper emerged into the clearing and Grian flicked his fingers.
The creeper exploded immediately, and Mumbo shrank back against a tree, doing his best to cover his ears with the torch still in hand.
Creeper after creeper emerged from the forest, each one being instantly obliterated by the God of chaos. It felt like hours before the forest was once again silent, and Mumbo finally stood up.
Grian was shaking and sweating, clearly exhausted by the immense level of energy he had used. He took a step towards Mumbo and fell to his knees.
"Grian!"
He knelt before him and reached out a hand to the small God, but Grian startled badly, flinching back and shaking his head slightly.
Mumbo cursed himself inwardly.
Idiot! Don't you ever think?
"Grian, just let me help you up"
"N-no. I might... you're not hurt right?"
Mumbo shook his head, trying to lean his face so he could see Grian's eyes.
"No I'm fine"
"Ok... ok... good"
Grian leaned sideways against a nearby tree and slowly pulled himself to his feet by the lower branches.
"I'm... so sorry for bringing you out here. You should... you should probably go back"
"Back where?"
"Back to the heavens"
The wrecked tone of his voice made Mumbo press his nails into his palms to keep from wrapping his arms around him.
"Grian, I'm fine! You protected me"
"I pushed you to the ground"
Mumbo blinked.
"You were just trying to keep me from getting blown up. I'm fine, really, I promise"
"But you could have been-"
Grian's eyes widened and he grabbed the front of Mumbo's shirt. Before Mumbo could react he was thrown sideways across the clearing, landing hard on his backside.
Hissssssssssssss
"Grian!"
He looked up just in time to see the flash of white light as the stray creeper exploded and Grian was thrown backwards, a sickening crack echoing through the forest as he smacked against a tree and fell into the snow, unmoving.
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