Hermitcraft short stories, One-shots, Random stuff & AUs

Day 10: Christmas tree lighting

AKA: Me letting my brain do what it wants.

So umm…. Right, I didn't really know what to do for this one… for this we're pretending that day 5 never happened. And also, umm… I know this means then turning the lights on.. but they kinda already did that… so… this is separate from all the others, alternative universe or something… let's just get on with it, NOTICE: THIS ONESHOT IS MOST LIKELY 100% SEPERATE FROM THE OTHERS…

EX watched the hermits from a cluster of foliage as they darted around the giant Christmas tree that had been put up in the centre of the shopping district. When they finished, Cleo started a campfire and the hermits all sat around it, laughing, chatting and drinking hot chocolate.

EX wanted to join them, so badly it made his heart ache, but he knew he couldn't, they'd never forgive him, let alone accept him into their dysfunction family.

He watched as it got dark, and the Hermits left one by one, until all that was left was the slowly dying campfire. EX walked over and sat on one of the logs that the hermits used for chairs. He added a few logs to get the fire going again. 

He sat Infront of the fire, warming his frozen hands. He hadn't been aware of how cold he had gotten, hiding in the bushes for almost the whole day, and the fire was like some sort of heaven. 

Once he could feel his hands again, he stood up and slowly started to walk around the tree. He saw a mixture of hand made decorations and shop bought tinsel, baubles and lights. One hand made decorations near the bottom of the tree caught his eye. 

He knelt down and looked at the decision, it was a flat red love heart, made out of hardened clay, on the front carved out with what could be a key or a cocktail stick were two figures hugging, they were indistinguishable as any of the hermits, and it looks like a ten year old had done it. 

He turned it over and read the inscription on the back, he almost dropped the ornament in shock.

To Exy
-Love from Suma <3

And it was dated about fifteen years ago, when they had both been ten years old. 

He smiled, a real smile for the first time in ages, and walked back around towards the fire when his eyes widened in horror. 

The bright flame had latched itself into some of the lower branches of the tree, and was quickly burning up the tranches into ash and spreading to more branches, enveloping the ornaments, the bulbs on the lights were exploding and the fire reached them, EX had no idea what to do.

Finally getting an idea, he ran to the pile of shulker boxes, left by Grian and Scar, and searched frantically for a bucket of water. He finally found one and ran at the tree, throwing the water over the flaming branches, it barely made a difference, the flames were still raging up and around the tree. 

He suddenly remembered the ornament he had been looking at before he saw the fire. He rushed around the tree and yanked it off of the branch, breaking the green ribbon in the process, just before the fire reached that part of the tree. 

He stood back and watch the tree burn, knowing that there was nothing he could do. He clutched the decoration to his chest as his eyes filled with tears. He knew the other hermits would blame him, even though it wasn’t his fault, he knew it would be best to run and hide like usual, but his feet were stuck to the ground as if someone had super glued them there.

Not even ten minutes later the whole tree was blackened, there was ash floating down around the area like snow. EX could see the charred remains of some of the harder ornaments, some things made of clay and such, but most of the beautiful decorations that he had seen the hermits putting up earlier were burnt to ash.

EX heard footsteps, multiple sets of footsteps and turned around.
“What the hell?” He heard Doc say, the hermits who were obviously looking at the tree were on the opposite side to him, so he couldn’t see who was there.
“O-our tree! My decorations!” He heard stress yell.
“Who did this?” Asked Grian, sounding confused and upset.
“Someone who hates us.” Said Xisuma, sounding angry.
“Evil X?” Someone suggested.
“That’s the most likely answer.” X said. EX felt tears in his eyes again, 

EX came out from behind the tree, Grian stepped back, the other three looked angry.
“You did this!” Yelled doc, blaming him.
“What!?” EX replied, 
“Don’t deny it brother,” X said, “We know it was you, why would you be here otherwise?”
“Because-” Because I wanted to join in, I wanted to be part of the group. He thought.
“Because what? What’s your excuse?” Stress said.
“I-” EX said.
“Just leave EX,” Xisuma said, “No-one wants you here, especially after this.”

EX looked at the floor, trying to stop himself from crying. He walked up to X and put the decoration he had saved into his hand then looked up, anger in his eyes.
“I was trying to save your stupid tree.” He said, “Next time, I wont bother.”

He turned and walked back in the direction of his cave, he looked back to see X looking at him and then walked away.

----

“What’s that?” Stress asked, pointing to the thing that EX had given to X before he left.
“It’s an ornament… that I made for him when we were younger,” X said, looking at it, “I put it on the tree… I guess he found it and rescued it from the fire.”
“Wait- so you’re saying he didn’t do it?” Doc said.
“I’m so confused.” Said Grian.
“Me too.” Said Stress.
“No… I don't, not after this.” He held up the ornament, “ I never got the chance to give it to him…” 
“Didn’t he say that he tried to save the tree?” Grian said.
“Yes he did, but I don’t know how the fire started in the first place…” X said.
“Maybe we should ask him?” Grian suggested.
“Good idea,” Said Stress, “Do you know where he lives X?” 
“Yeah, come on.” X said. The three hermits followed him to where EX’s cave was. They climbed in slowly, and headed down tho the bottom

“What are you doing here?” EX said, coming out of the shadows.
“I-I came to apologise…” X said, “I shouldn’t have blamed you so quickly.”
“It’s fine, I expected to get blamed anyway.” EX said, looking at the floor.
“I know you didn’t do it.” X said, “I just wanted to know what happened.”
“I-i put some logs on Cleo’s campfire, to warm up,” EX said, “I walked away to look at the tree… I came back and the tree was on fire,”
“So it was your fault?” Doc asked.
“I didn’t do it on purpose!” EX yelled, “I tried to save the tree, i found a water bucket-”
“It’s alright.” Grian said, “At least you tried, we can get a new tree.”
“Grian’s right, and I’ll organise a decoration making party to replace all the decorations that died.” Stress said.
X smiled, “Yeah, It’ll be alright.”
EX smiled, “I’m glad you believe me…” 
X made a face as if he just remembered something, “Hey, I-I want to give you this, properly.” X said, handing the ornament to EX.

“Thank you.” EX said.

_________________________________________
Aaaah a song I love I love just came on the radio!!!!

It hasn't been played on the radio in forever!

Lol, I hope you enjoyed!

-Ash

PS: I'm really proud of this one :))