The Rise Of CuteGuy

Visitor

Mumbo pov

As we arrived at work, the usual bustle of the office was already in full swing. Grian, practically bouncing beside me, was clearly taking in the environment with a mix of curiosity and excitement. After getting a visitor badge made for him—one that he proudly clipped onto his shirt—he couldn’t help but comment on the “official” look of it.

“Look at me, all official now,” he said with a smirk, adjusting the badge as if it was his new favorite accessory.

I chuckled, glancing around to make sure everything was in order. But then, as I was about to head into my office, I caught sight of False, who was heading in our direction.

“Hey, Mumbo!” she called out, her voice carrying a bit of urgency. “Xisuma wants to see you—and Grian, apparently. He’s in the meeting room.”

I blinked, surprised. “Xisuma? What does he want with us?”

False gave a nonchalant shrug. “No idea. But you know Xisuma... always got something going on. Just thought you should know.”

I glanced over at Grian, who was already looking curious. “Guess we’ll find out soon enough,” I said, giving him a wry smile.

Grian’s eyes gleamed with mischief. “Oh, this’ll be fun. Let’s go see what chaos Xisuma has in mind for us today!”

With that, we made our way to the meeting room, unsure of what was waiting but already prepared for whatever it might be.

When Grian and I walked into the meeting room, we were immediately greeted by the sight of a wardrobe sketch artist seated at the table, flipping through designs. Both of us froze in our tracks, exchanging confused glances. Grian, especially, looked puzzled, likely because he had no idea who this person was.

Before either of us could say a word, Xisuma looked up from the papers in front of him and offered a strained smile. “Ah, there you two are. Have a seat. I really need to ask a little favor from you, Grian.”

The tension in his voice was hard to miss, and I could see the worry in his eyes, like he was already bracing himself for Grian to refuse whatever he was about to suggest.

At first, Grian still had that carefree energy, but as the words sank in, his whole demeanor shifted. The lightheartedness vanished in an instant, replaced by a sharp seriousness that was almost jarring. His expression hardened, and his wings seemed to tuck closer to his back.

“I already told you—” Grian began, his voice steady but firm, before Xisuma cut him off.

“I know, I know,” Xisuma said quickly, holding up a hand. “But with Hot Guy wheelchair-bound until further notice, there’s nobody left who can step up against the villains he’s been fighting. They’re wreaking havoc, Grian.”

The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of Xisuma’s words settling over us. I glanced at Grian, whose jaw tightened as he stared at Xisuma, clearly processing what he’d just heard.

“You want me to take his place,” Grian said flatly, his voice devoid of emotion, though I could see the tension in his posture.

“Not take his place,” Xisuma corrected gently, his tone almost pleading. “Just... fill in for a while. We wouldn’t be asking if it wasn’t absolutely necessary. You’re one of the few who can handle this level of danger. And...” He hesitated, then added, “You’re the only one he trusts to do it.”

That last part seemed to hit Grian harder than anything else. He looked down at the table, his expression unreadable, before slowly exhaling. “And if I say no?”