Warnings: Toxicity of a Father Figure
Relationship: Grian/Etho, Grian/Xisuma (Brotherly)
~***~
"You can't stay mad at our father forever, Grian." Xisuma said, Grian glared at him while he laid more on top of Etho, "Don't look at me in that tone of voice."
"He's not my father." Grian mumbled, "I think you knew that."
"Grian, he raised you."
"Just because he raised me doesn't mean that he's my father. He treated me as a third class Watcher. That doesn't make him my father."
"Gr-"
"Don't argue with me Xisuma. I'll think about inviting him down to Hermitcraft, but until then, do not argue with me. He hates me."
"He doesn't hate you."
"Yeah he does. He treated me terribly because I'm a Phoenix Watcher. I'm a hybrid, and a successful one at that." Grian felt Etho start to play with his hair, he moved into the touch, "I didn't turn into one of them failed hybrids that just make noises. You know the only reason that he took me in was because he wanted to know what I was capable of. So I'm not gonna let him be here just to degrade me."
Etho spoke up, "Grian, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea. I mean, I know you don't like him, but he's still your father, can't you give him just one last chance?"
A moment of silence, "Fine. Invite him down. But I'm not gonna be happy about it."
Four Days Later
The Void's father appeared through a portal, Grian and Xisuma both at the front of the hermits to greet him, "Dad." "Father."
"Xisuma my boy!" He glanced at Grian, "Xelqua."
"It's Grian now, father."
"Uh huh. So this is your server Xisuma? looks like you got all kinds of weirdos here."
"Hey, don't knock my people." Xisuma said immediately, "Leave 'em be."
Suddenly an arrow stuck itself in the ground, Grian looked to where it came from and took out his sword.
His father took Grian's sword, "DUDE!"
"Oh Grian, you're not Xisuma. You can't fight." The two's father said, "You're too sweet."
Grian growled and Etho chimed in, "Hey, Grian can fight!"
"Really?" His father threw a set of items at Grian, a collar and leash, "If he could fight he wouldn't have let people walk all over him like a bloody PET!"
Grian's eyes turned blue and orange, his feathers started to flare. Etho was first to notice the feathers, "Grian, don't engage. You're better than that."
Grian closed his eyes and took a deep breath in, "I'm not a pet. And I'm not your son."
Grian threw the collar and leash on the ground and flew away.
Xisuma glanced at Etho, "Find him." Etho nodded and flew off after Grian, Xisuma looked to his father, "Y'know, Grian didn't invite you here to degrade him. He invited you so he could forgive you for treating him like a third class Watcher. And you just blew your chance for his forgiveness."
"I don't care! He's just a science experiment!"
"HE IS NOT A SCIENCE EXPERIMENT! HE IS JUST AS GOOD OF A WATCHER AS YOU OR ME! QUIT TREATING HIM LIKE AN ANIMAL!"
"IF HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE TREATED LIKE AN ANIMAL HE SHOULDN'T HAVE ALLOWED HIMSELF TO BE PUT ON A LEASH."
Xisuma's hands flickered with void particles, "Get out of my server. Grian's very sensitive about his past. Inviting you here was a mistake, I see why he didn't want to now. I should have listened to him. Now leave."
~***~
Etho found Grian in their bedroom, on the floor in the corner, "Gri?"
"Go away." He mumbles, "I'm nothing but a pet."
"Grian.. No." Etho says softly, walking over and sitting on his knees, "Hey, look at me." Grian looked at him by only moving his eyes, "You're not a pet, you're my friend and mate."
"You're just saying that. I don't matter-"
"You matter to me! I don't care what your father says and you shouldn't either! Because you matter to me and the hermits, that's what's important."
Grian lifted his head and started crying when Etho hugged him. Etho whispered into the Phoenix's ear, "I got you buddy... Don't worry love."
After a while, Xisuma found the two still on the floor. Grian was asleep on top of Etho with the older male playing Grian's hair, "Is he okay?"
"Is now."
"Good. We shouldn't have pressured him."
"Yeah..."
