In Which Mumbo Realizes He’s Soulbound to Scar
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It's been some time since Mumbo's been in Hermitcraft.
He's not been avoiding it, per say, just giving himself time to focus on, well, himself. It's important to take time away from a world where everyone is constantly judging your builds, after all. He needed some alone time.
But now he can't stand it.
Because things have been odd since he's been back. He knows the gist of it (there was another game of Life and they all got soulmates from the Watchers) but certainly that's had no ongoing effect on everyone back in Hermitcraft.
Right...?
And yet, Scar’s begun to build his mega base nearby, and while such a surprise was certainly welcomed, Mumbo wasn’t prepared for how Grian would react. There’s hardly a time when the two aren’t in one another’s arms, rather it be cuddling or simply linked together as they discuss build plans. They’ve become inseparable, and while Mumbo was prepared for them to have gotten closer in his absence, this is a bit more than he anticipated.
"Right," Mumbo says with a huff one day, ducking into Grian's base only to see Scar there as well. Grian's perched on Scar's lap, eyes shut as his arms and wings envelope Scar in a hug that seems to be keeping the man from work.
Both pairs of eyes snap onto Mumbo when they realize he's there, cheerful hellos at the ready.
Mumbo presses his fingertips together with an inhale. "Right, so are you two dating now? Not that I mind at all! Just want to be in the loop."
To which Scar snorts and replies: "Oh, no, I don't do that sort of thing."
"Yeah, we're just friends, mate."
“Just friends.”
Grian yawns, cuddling a bit closer to Scar. “Absolutely nothing more.”
Which concludes an interaction which did absolutely nothing to further Mumbo's understanding of the situation.
Sure, maybe they are just friends! Friends can cuddle, right? Friends can kiss each other on the forehead and exchange “I love you”s and fall asleep together. Just pal things, isn’t it? Bit rude of Mumbo to think otherwise.
But that doesn't explain what's wrong with him. Because, well...
Mumbo's jealous of Grian.
Of Grian.
Mumbo loves Scar very very much--considers him a best friend--but he's never had much of an interest in any sort of deeper relationship. But now...?
Now he sees Grian wrapped around Scar and wishes that were him. He sees the way Scar kisses Grian's forehead and wants to be in his place. Maybe he wants to be the one falling asleep in Scar's arms under the warmth of a setting sun! Is there really anything so wrong with that?
According to Mumbo, there most certainly is.
He's able to piece together what's going on easy enough: there’s still a bit of Grian's soul in him--something leftover from season 8 when he was trying to get back his humanity--and if Grian's soul has been bound to Scar... well....
That certainly would explain the butterflies...
But Mumbo, fearer of emotions, decides that repression is the healthiest response and so he does just that. He buries down the feelings and throws himself into his work until he's drowning in it. Then he works a bit more. And a bit more.
Until phantoms are circling overhead, then diving, then he's respawning in Grian's base (because of COURSE he used Grian's bed last) and Scar and Grian are on the floor wrapped around one another and wow this has all become a mess quite quickly.
And Mumbo can't take it anymore. He slumps over in pained anguish and looks at the pair with dreary eyes.
"I think I'm dying."
"You already did," Grian says with a laugh, climbing out from Scar's embrace to welcome Mumbo, carefully looking him over for any ongoing injuries. "Seem fine to me, though."
"It's emotional," Mumbo whispers to the space around them. The eyes that meet Grian's are tired and wanting, flickering from him to Scar in some unspoken plea for Grian to understand. He must understand.
And, by some miracle, Grian's hand flies to the waffley pattern on the back of his own head. "Oh..."
Scar laughs from where he's still lounging, not yet interested in transitioning to his wheelchair. "What's up?"
Grian's eyes go wide, and he smiles. "Oh."
"What?"
Grian takes Mumbo's shoulders in his hands, a devious glint in his eyes. "You have to tell him."
"What?!" Mumbo sputters, trying to back away. "Absolutely not!"
"You HAVE to." Grian's grinning wildly, spinning Mumbo around and shoving him towards Scar.
Scar. Scar, his friend of years. Scar, who has Mumbo's heart racing and cheeks burning and what is going ON?
This curse of the Watcher's game--he despises that it's reached him here, but the bit of Grian's soul that's merged into his is longing to melt into Scar's arms and be held and loved and safe.
Scar seems utterly, utterly lost, a confused glance jumping between Grian and Mumbo.
Mumbo's feet freeze when Scar's soft eyes turn his stomach, and Grian seems to have relented his pushing. That laughing elytrian falls back into Scar's arms, looking utterly like a man watching a prank play out. "Go on!"
"I'm so confused," Scar mutters, one arm wrapping around Grian. (Mumbo can't help but notice that the other is free... Would Scar wrap it around him if he asked?)
And the thought makes his cheeks burn. "You and me both, buddy."
"Tell him," Grian insists a bit louder this time, and Mumbo lets out a deep exhale as he genuinely considers it.
He can't really expect this to go well, right...?
"Look, mate--" Where does he even start here? "It's a bit of a long story. Last season I sort of stole a bit of Grian's soul, right, and, well--well the Watcher's game--that's soulbinding, innit? And they linked Grian's to yours so I think mine is also kind of--"
And Mumbo watches a dawning realization flood Scar's face. He expects the worst, expects Grian to get possessive or Scar to respond poorly or, at the least, for things to be weird.
What he doesn't expect is for Scar to open his free arm with a soft, welcoming smile. "Well, come here!"
Again, Mumbo's cheeks burn, and he looks awkwardly between Scar and Grian. "What?"
"I mean--your soul is kind of Grian's, right? Can't say I totally get it, but it sounds like we're soulmates to me."
"And you're just cool with that?"
"I mean, as long as Grian is."
Grian's smirking, barely holding back laughter. "Fine by me! Serves you right for stealing my soul. Now we're BOTH bound to this fool."
"Hey," Scar barks, but there's a grin there too. "I'll have you know I'm wonderful to be bound to. Grian has rated my hugs 10 out of 10."
"That's taken out of context!"
Scar just covers Grian's face with his hand, completely muffling any further protests. His full attention turns to Mumbo, and Mumbo doesn't much mind the butterflies such focus gives him. "Offer still stands."
And Mumbo Jumbo, for all his strictness and repression and attempts not to fall prey to the Watcher's curse, gives in. He closes the distance between him and Scar and falls into his arms.
Scar welcomes him like he was always meant to be there, arms wrapping both him and Grian into a soft, warm hug.
And Mumbo smiles. No embarrassment. No fear. Just a genuine, content smile.
And perhaps he would have stayed like that for hours if Grian hadn't reached over and poked him in the ribs.
"Mumbo, we've got a secret."
"Hm?" Mumbo says, sparing nothing but a muffled hum from where he's wrapped himself around Scar.
"The soulbinding didn't follow us out of Double Life," Grian says. "This is all us."
All Mumbo can manage is a sleepy, "Oh?"
"Which means this is all you."
And maybe, in a different situation, Mumbo's cheeks would have burned and he would have denied it and untangled himself from Scar's arms.
But he's safe. And he's warm. And Scar's holding him. And he's more than happy to let that keep happening.
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