Hermitcraft Oneshots

Exposed - Grian and Mumbo (fluff sort of)

This is set at the beginning of season nine, or any season really since it mentions no specifics. Trigger warning for old sh scars. 1170 words.

"Ohh," Grian half said half yelled with panic as he ran out of a zombie's momentary grasp. "Why did I agree to this?" He asked himself, beginning to regret the adventure in the dark.

"You're the one who suggested it!" Mumbo answered, attempting to fight about five skeletons and a creeper which had its unforgiving eyes fixed on him.

"Then why did you agree? I wouldn't have gone if you hadn't." Grian replied as he backed away from his own mob of followers, trying to get any decent hits on them. His back came to a wall and glanced across the grey room to the redstoner to see that he was in a similar position before resuming his concentration.

"Oh! Over here!" Mumbo yelled, getting his attention. Grian ran over. "There's an exit!"

"Since when were we this high and in a mountain biome?" Grian asked as he looked through a two block opening and out onto the sea, which was separated from them by a twenty block cliff. The night sky made the rippling water glimmer with silver tones.

Mumbo glanced back at the cave before sprinting forwards and kicking off of the rock, leaping into the air. Grian didn't hesitate to follow, and for a second he was falling before he hit the cold water and found himself submerged. The salt stung as he opened his eyes and processed the new sensation of being wet, and he floated for a second before swimming up to the sky. He saw that Mumbo was already above water.

As he moved his arms, he hit something rope-like and before he knew it, something with a similar feeling to that of a claw crept up around his arm. He looked to the piece of kelp and tried to get it off but accidentally pulled it tighter. Fuck. He tried again, but it's grasp was merciless. A sense of doubt that he wouldn't be able to escape came over him and he panicked, feeling his heart thumping in his chest. He watched his air bubbles flicker down one by one out of the corner of his eye as he moved to trying to break the sea plant, but it was proving difficult in the confusion.

He jerked his head to the side as a hand landed on his shoulder, and he saw Mumbo floating by him. The moustached man began fiddling with the plant as well as Grian started to take damage. He bit his lip as he watched the other man also fail; he didn't want to die, not here, not now. Mumbo's eyes intentionally met his and the man tugged at his jumper, gesturing at it. Grian nodded, and Mumbo went to pull it off. He was wearing a long sleeve top so it would be fine.

Wait. Was he? His eyes widened. He wasn't. Oh fuck he wasn't, he was wearing a t-shirt. He tried to look at Mumbo to communicate but he didn't notice, focussed instead on freeing him. The red material was already over his head, and Grian winced in anticipation as Mumbo pulled the sleeves down.

He didn't look, he didn't want to see the hundreds of old scars that were littered across his arms. He'd accepted them but didn't want to be faced with them, not with Mumbo here. Despite what he'd expected, though, Mumbo simply continued his work, efficiently pulling the offending sleeve with the tangle of kelp off and freeing him. Grian glanced down and saw that, in the darkness of the water, his arms were barely more visible than a vague colour that contradicted the oceans deep blue-ish grey.

The pair swam to the top and gasped as they reached the beautiful air. Grian noticed that he'd gone down to two and a half hearts.

"Thanks." He said between deep breaths, trying his best to keep his arms underwater, but it was proving to be quite the challenge.

"No problem, but I think you may've lost that jumper." Mumbo said, looking down at the area even though it was no longer visible. "Let's get to shore. You don't happen to have a boat on you, do you?"

"No..." Grian replied absentmindedly. What was he going to do at shore? Oh Notch...

"Shame." Mumbo said, before beginning to swim to the nearest beach, which wasn't too far away. Grian looked down at the vague shadow of the lost red fabric. It was truly tangled, and even if he could get it back then he'd have to get the kelp off of it and put it back on while still in the water. He turned reluctantly and followed Mumbo, who was a bit ahead of him now. What could he do? He didn't have anything with him, only cobblestone, a few dead pickaxes, torches, a sword and a lot of ores. Glancing at his arm in the moonlight, he saw that the night alone wasn't dark enough to hide anything. He took a shakey breath, dreading his fast approaching fate.

In front of him, Mumbo rose up above the water as he started walking instead of swimming, and Grian felt his toes touch the sand. He went a little further and stopped, standing on the ground and keeping his arms crossed and held into him, with his shoulders just above the surface. He took another deep breath.

Mumbo stopped when he noticed his stillness and turned to face him when the water became knee-level on him.

"What?" He asked. Grian looked away, biting his lip and trying to hold back tears. "Grian, are you..." The man asked, concerned and stepping forwards slightly.

"I can't." He admitted, hearing his voice break. A tear slipped down his cheek, although he hoped it wasn't visible since he was already wet.

"I don't understand..." Mumbo said, tilting his head. Grian just took another deep breath and stared away, trying not to cry.

"I..." he started. He was going to have to say it. "I have scars, on my arms." And now he was exposed. He was out in the open. Mumbo could say anything. He could judge him. He could be disappointed.

"Oh, that's- that's okay," the redstoner said as he realised and processed the information. "Do you want my blazer? If you're self conscious, that is." He suggested, taking it off and stepping a bit closer. Grian looked up at him and their eyes met.

"You're... okay with them?"

"Well, yeah. Grian I would never judge you for something like that." Mumbo replied. Grian smiled shyly and glanced away. He didn't know what else he should've expected, Mumbo was his friend after all, but something about new people finding out had... scared him, even if he knew it was okay.

"Okay, thanks," he said quietly, stepping forwards a little, "but I will... take..."

"Oh, yeah," Mumbo smiled, stepping forwards to give him the black blazer. Grian took it and Mumbo saw his right arm, before he wrapped it around himself.

"Thank you." He said, and Mumbo smiled at him before they left the waters and began making their way home.