Heart of Glass (A Minecraft EndermanXReader)

Chapter 2: Threats From All Sides

Warrick was silent for a moment. "Someone must have told her about you."

You nodded. "I don't doubt someone betrayed us. I just don't know who, or why. Especially if it wasn't Erilian."

"Do you not trust him?"

You made a face. "He's...off. They've all chalked it up to some 'anomaly,' they called it. Regardless, he's outright threatened Eli, and me. I can't believe he actually tried to help us this time."

"And what he said is definitely true?"

You shrugged. "Eli doesn't doubt him for a second. It surprised me, they haven't gotten along lately."

"What is his relationship with Erilian?"

"Eli told me once that he saw Erilian as a brother in a way, apparently Erilian taught him how to survive here originally. But Erilian's really gone off the deep end the last year, and even his old friends aren't on good terms with him anymore."

Warrick nodded slowly. "I would take Eli's word for it." You raised your eyebrows in shock. "Not that I trust Erilian either, but if Elianore sees, or once saw, him as a brother, he knows when he can trust Erilian. Don't trust Erilian, but trust Elianore."

You nodded slowly.

"Does he know that someone has betrayed him?"

"I don't think so. I'm not sure how to bring it up. All of his friends knew about us, he was so open with them. He never even hesitated to open our home up to them." Warrick frowned. "I'm worried about that too. It's possible Draconia knows where we live. He trusts just a little too easily."

"Does he?" Warrick glanced up to see Elianore spinning with a child hanging from each arm. "Oh boy..."

You chuckled. "He's holding them. He knows they won't hold on tight enough."

Warrick gave you a knowing look.

"This is different from him spinning a bunch of kids around. He entrusted his life, his home, to a bunch of people he barely knew, and now we're dealing with the consequences."

"Perhaps. But no one has broken down your door yet. Maybe he was holding them as well."

Elianore swore loudly and several children screamed as he tripped over his own feet and fell.

"No one repeat what I just said. Is everyone okay?" He yelled as soon as he landed.

"We're okay!"

"Again!"

"No, not again, I'm going to vomit if I move right now."

You sighed and stood up. "We'll see."

"Eli, are you alright?" You called as you walked over.

"I am very dizzy." He tried to look up at you, but only succeeded in tipping himself all the way over.

"We spun so fast!" One of the villager children giggled.

"I saw!" You smiled softly before turning back to Elianore. "Are you done hurting yourself?"

"Temporarily."

"Do you need help?"

"Once everything stops spinning."

Aodh giggled and sat square in the middle of Elianore's chest. "Is it my turn next?"

"I gotta take a break, kiddo, that last spin upset my stomach."

"Aw..."

Elianore smiled and patted his head. "You can have the first turn next time."

"Okay!" Aodh jumped off.

"Where'd Clara run off to?"

"Something, something, 'I'm too old for spinning,' as she ran off with the other older kids."

"Aw, she's finally reached the 'too old' phase."

"I hate that phase."

You chuckled. "I'm sure the man-child hates it when someone else thinks they're too old."

"I'm not a man-child. I'm nineteen. That's still basically a child."

You raised your eyebrows at him. "Are you sure you want to call yourself a child?"

"Young adult slash teenager."

"Man-child."

"No." He slowly sat up.

"Feeling better?"

"A little. Still dizzy."

"You shouldn't rough yourself up so much."

"It makes the kids happy."

"That's not an excuse."

He shrugged, still watching the children running around with each other. He smiled softly when they stopped to give Poppy flowers. You smiled. "You really like kids, don't you?"

He made a weird face. "What's that about?"

"I'm just saying. I thought you were a softie for me, but you're even more for the kids."

"They're kids. Not like they're gonna hurt me, intentionally anyway."

"Softie."

"Yeah, yeah, give me a break."

You say down in the grass next to him. "Do you want kids?"

His face flushed. "Where did that come from?"

"Just curious."

His cheeks and ears were still red when he answered, "I don't know. It's kinda a scary thought to me. Like...what if I hurt them? What if they end up like me?" He paused to fidget with his hands. "I mean...I do like kids, they're fun and I like taking care of them, but I'm not gonna risk it on my own kids." He glanced at you. "Don't look at me like that. You can't tell me I'm wrong."

You leaned on his shoulder. "You just make me sad sometimes. It always sounds like you've given up all hope for yourself."

He shrugged. "There was never any hope for me, I don't think. Just trying to find a little bit of good in all the bad."

You felt your heart sink, but before you could say anything else, he spoke again. "And I know someone betrayed us. You don't have to dodge it."

"Oh. Do you know who?"

He shrugged. "Erilian wouldn't have any reason to. He's selfish and cruel, but he wouldn't hand us over to Draconia unless he could use it to get at her. Ettastria...maybe. She's desperate to get home. Elan wouldn't. Elore's on death row too, she couldn't."

"That leaves Emila and Exceed."

"Emila...might."

"And Exceed?"

He was silent a moment. "Who knows. Kid's a trainwreck."

"So you've got it narrowed down to three."

"Right."

"What are you going to do?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

He shook his head and smiled. "I already did everything I could. I met them all with all the kindness I have. It's not my fault if that's not worth the chance to go home."

"What if you meet the traitor again?"

He rolled his eyes. "(Y/n), I will always meet them with open arms." He looked up. "I've learned a lot from you. It hurts a lot less to get stabbed in the back than it does to never give anyone the chance."

You smiled. "Fair enough. But I'm going to have a sword ready."

He smiled. "I know you will, and I hope you do." His face fell. "Because we're going to have a lot of people gunning to kill me."

~~~

A/n: maybe someday y'all will get consistent updates

But it will not be from me and it will not be today

As always, thanks for reading, please remember to vote, comment, and share, and I'll see y'all soon!