Asylum - On the Run Sequel

Chapter 23

A few days had passed and everyone realised that the living arrangements were not the best.

Cleo and Stress were sleeping in the living room, Grian Tango and Jevin were sleeping in Grian's room, Mumbo had let Doc into his room, Ren and Wels were staying in Xisuma's room with him. It was a hassle but it worked. Barely.
Nobody knew where Iskall would sleep when he got back from the hospital.

Most days Grian and Mumbo would go to work and the others would stay in the house or go for walks. They didn't have to be careful or secretive and it was freeing. Just being themselves.

Tango found the fire exit door to the roof of their building and that changed everyone's routines. Grian would fly up to make sure no one was up there and if it was clear they would all sneak up and sit.

Just sitting and talking. Eventually, someone would go back downstairs, whether because they were cold or tired. And then it went down to eight people, then seven, six, and until there was only one person. And then the roof was empty again and it was peaceful.

On this particular day, the last two people were Grian and Stress. Both hold onto troubled feelings about their best friends.

"Sometimes," Grian turned to look at the girl. Neither of them had spoken for a while, "Mumbo used to come to me while we were at the cottage. And he'd ask me about boys. How to talk to them. How to talk to you."

"And I thought he liked you."
Stress chuckled and sighed.

"No, he could never. His eyes were always on you."
Grian turned his head away from Stress. The sky was full of stars tonight. It was beautiful.

"And then Concorp came and took you and Xisuma. Ren had to hold Mumbo back from running to you to help. Even after we were a safe distance away from the house Mumbo was struggling against him."

The blurry people on the edge of the tree line.

"He was the one who insisted we all went back for you, and Xisuma of course."

Grian pulled his knees up to his face and rested his chin on them. Mumbo was a good guy, hell he freed Grian from a life of constant pain and torture.

"Mumbo's just incredible. He's smart and he's brave when he needs to be. But I just- it's- I don't know."
Stress nodded, understanding exactly what Grian meant even if he couldn't say it out loud.

Mumbo was a Redstone wizard and he would take on the world for the people he loved. He was adorable and clumsy and what was Grian?
An on the run avian who had no childhood.

The perfect match.
"My god this is like a story. Self-insert OC is a hybrid flying beast and the tall genius sweeps them off their feet."

Grian buried his head in his hands as Stress laughed at him.
He was kind of right. It did seem like a dream, all of a sudden this hunky moustached man came to rescue him and take him to a place of safety with all of his friends.

"You're like a Disney princess." Grian's mouth twisted into a smile and took his palms away from his eyes.

"I should probably go in, you coming too?" Grian shook his head and Stress shrugged. She stood up and pulled the cardigan she was wearing tighter.

"It's so cold, are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm just gonna stay out for a few minutes anyway."

And it was lonely again. Tears threatened to prick at Grian's eyes. It was pathetic, he was happy and laughing a minute ago. He wiped his eyes and pulled his legs closer to his torso.

His wings came out of their resting position and wrapped around his body. Why was he sad? There was no reason to be sad. Iskall was getting help, Mumbo was respecting his boundaries, Xisuma forgave him for abandoning him in the forest.

But something felt wrong. Nothing big. Just that feeling you get when everything is going well and it's all perfect, but you're so used to it being wrong that perfect feels wrong too.

Perfect feels like it's all out of pity, that they're only acting like this because they feel bad, or because they're convincing their true feelings about you.

And you know it's not true because these people have risked life and death for you. But the mind is a cruel and unjust place where anyone can be the enemy. And it doesn't matter what they've done for you or who they've fought.

The side glances to make sure you're still there are glares.

The helpful inputs are babying you because they don't believe you can do it.

The smiles are empty and the compliments are sarcastic remarks.

You know it's not true. It can't be true.

Can it?

"Grian? It's been more than a few minutes, I just wanted to make sure you were ok."

The silence spoke for itself.

"Are you ok?"

"Kind of? Yeah, I'm ok."

Grian brought his wings down and turned to look at Stress. She was genuinely worried and her eyebrows were furrowed. He sighed and stood up.

"C'mon it's late." The two went down the stairs together and Stress went back into the living room to sleep.

Tango and Jevin were sprawled over the bed, the nether demon almost falling off. Jevin had curled his tentacles around himself for warmth.

Grian huffed out a breath and settled himself on the beanbag in the corner of the room. It wasn't the most comfortable but it would do for one night.

He sank into it when he sat and it was extremely uncomfortable for his wings. Grian spent almost half an hour repositioning himself so he wouldn't hurt his wings.

The room was only filled with the sound of breathing for the rest of the night. It was uncomfortable and uneasy but Grian eventually fell asleep.