MCYT One-Shots

Regrets | Angst

Time and Setting – HBBSC, when Gri and Zed do their swap back

Focus Character(s) – Zedaph, Grian, Mumbo and Iskall (briefly)

Ship(s) – Could be interpreted as Mumbo x Zedaph?? But otherwise n/a

Trigger/Content Warnings – n/a as far as I'm aware, although Grian's a bit of a dick :/

Background – After Tango gives Grian the Zoucher to get his base back, he decides to follow through with his 'joke' about owning both bases, and making Zedaph homeless. Zedaph has a lot of thoughts about this situation. 

Not a request

A/N:  Anyways I did the thing again where I watched a scene and said "okay, but angst", except this time Grian's the asshole and Zedaph's the one not having a good time 

Inspired by Grian joking about making Zed homeless when they swap bases back in Grian's episode 70 (I think), but angst because that's all I can write well lmao

---

When Zedaph had originally seen Grian pay him a visit in the Grian Mansion (temporarily the Zedaph Mansion, thanks to Mumbo), he'd been excited to show Grian what he'd done with the place, and what he'd added. Even more so, what Grian had done with his place, as he'd a feeling that swapping back was what Grian intended to do. 

It had been about a month, and Zedaph had been quite looking forwards to returning to the Cave of Contraptions, and being able to settle back into his usual home. 

But Grian had pulled out a zoucher for any one thing of Zedaph's, and had asked for the deed back, and Zedaph had handed it over with a nervous laugh, since he had payed for it, and edaph needed to fufil what he'd put in the book. That had been the point of his early season shop after all, and Zedaph would have been cruel to have made Grian waste his money. 

Grian had acted all friendly about it, but as the sun set, Zedaph had a sinking suspicion that Grian didn't intend to give him his base back. 

So with a pit in his stomach, Zedaph had showed a grinning Grian the few modifications he'd made, and how he'd sorted some of Grian's chests, and with nothing but the few items he had on him, he set off into the night, taking the nether and the last of his rockets to the shopping district. 

It was quite cold, Zedaph noted when he left the nether, and he wasn't quite sure on where he'd stay. He didn't exactly have a building for a shop, and while he knew Grian's Barge was quite cozy, Zedaph wasn't sure about using Grian's shop as shelter immediately after Grian had made him homeless. 

(Zedaph was furious and upset over that, but he didn't want to let it show. That was for Impulse and Tango to know when he told them of the situation, and no one else.) 

The blond hermit ended up using the HBBSC centre for shelter, dozing off in the crater where everyone had recieved the deeds for another hermit's building. He was curled up by his chest, his head resting against it, and before long, Zedaph fell into an uneasy rest. 

---

Zedaph only woke when he felt someone gently place a hand on his shoulder, rousing him from his light rest. His eyes fluttered open to see Mumbo, staring at him with concern shining through his red eyes, Zedaph almost crying when he made eye contact with Mumbo. 

In his defence, none of this wouldn't have happened if not for Mumbo, although he couldn't exacly do much about it now. 

"Zed?"

Mumbo's voice was full of concern, and his touch was gentle as he took Zedaph's hand, helping the shorter hermit to his feet. His hands were warm, and Zedaph shivered slightly, not letting go of the walking heat source. 

Mumbo leaned down slightly, crouching to look Zedaph in the eyes. His eyes felt heavy with tears, and Zedaph had to blink continually to try and prevent himself from crying, and hearing Mumbo say his name again, softly, did not help in the slightest. 

"What's going on?" 

When Zedaph heard Iskall, he couldn't stop himself, a choked sob coming out. He reached up and whiped his eyes with his sleeve, and heard Iskall quietly curse, Mumbo murmuring anything but real words to Zedaph. 

Or perhapse they were real words. Zedaph couldn't hear himself think, let alone what someone else may be saying. 

---

When Zedaph was next aware of his surroundings, he wasn't in the shopping district anymore. 

Rather, he was in Mumbo's hobbit hole, tucked into bed. He didn't know how many days had passed if any, and he wasn't sure where Mumbo or Iskall were, but he had mixed feelings about the entire situation. 

For starters, Grian. 

Zedaph had never felt more betrayed, or hurt as he had when Grian had left him without a home, and how Grian just hadn't seemed to care...

Grian had put him out onto the streets, with nothing more than a smile and a wave. 

Zedaph had honestly considered them friends, so that had hurt him more then he'd originally thought it would, and he really just wanted everything to be okay. 

He sighed slightly, only looking up when he heard footsteps, and he saw Mumbo enter the room. The moustached hermit sat on the bed next to Zedaph, the latter tucking his legs up to curl himself in the smallest ball he possibly could. 

"It's all going to be okay, Zed. Iskall's talking to Grian now, and Tango's trying to help. I don't know why Grian would do this, but it's going to be okay, Zed." Mumbo gave Zedaph a warm smile, and Zed could only look back at him numbly, the words flying over his head. 

He vaguely recognised Tango's name, but he didn't understand how Tango had taken part in any of this. 

"What did Tango do?" 

Zedaph could see Mumbo's expression turn to surprise, and Mumbo's cheeks flushed. 

"Err, well..." Mumbo trailed off, Zedaph's eyes never leaving Mumbo's. 

"Tango gave Grian the zoucher. He told us that he thought it would be funny, and made Grian promise to give you your base afterwards in exchange for pulling a little prank, and Grian didn't fufill his half of the deal." Mumbo explained. He broke eye contact with Zedaph, fidgiting with his collar as he spoke, and Zedaph couldn't help but feel more and more tears well up, spilling over. 

He had many regrets, Zedaph did. 

And trusting anyone was one of his biggest.