On the Run - A HermitCraft Fanfic

Chapter 20

Walking around the forest had made us loop back around to the village where I and Mumbo were supposed to stay last night. Despite the voice in my head screaming at me to turn around I kept leading X forwards. He must have felt the change between grass and pavement.

"Where are we?"

"This is where I and Mumbo were supposed to stay last night. Before I ran into the forest."

I lead X towards the inn and through to Mumbos room. The receptionist didn't say anything but got a little scared when X heard her heartbeat and snapped his head to her with his void black eyes. Maybe more than a little scared.

I walked up to his door and let go of X's hand. My hand stopped as it was about to reach the door. I could hear the noise from inside.

"He's crying. Whispering to himself. What happened between you two?" X whispered in the quietest voice to me. I felt guilty now, did Mumbo like me that much? We'd only known each other for around 2 months.

I knocked three times on the door and stepped back. I pulled X back as well just before Mumbo opened the door. He was shocked to see me, to say the least. He went to pull me into a hug before stopping and looking into my eyes. I shook my head slightly and he stepped back. He coughed to clear his throat.

"Well, would you like to come in?"

His voice was raspy and quiet, but not intentionally. It sounded like he had been crying, a lot. I felt bad for him but at the same time, I knew what I had done was right.

We walked into his room and Mumbo sat on the sofa. X followed our heartbeats and almost bumped into my back when I stopped walking. He reached around and sat on the bed when he found it, leaving me and Mumbo staring awkwardly at each other.

"I'm sorry for leaving, I shouldn't have done that I just needed space to think." I broke the silence and Mumbo hung his head and sighed.

"I'm in the wrong. I shouldn't have come onto you. I drove you away."

"I led you on, and don't tell me I never."

Mumbo laughed sadly and shook his head. I walked over to the sofa and sat down beside him. He leaned onto me and sighed, but it wasn't uncomfortable. We all sat for a few minutes just taking in each other's company, the springs on the bed squeaking every so often.

Mumbo lifted his head off my shoulder and apologised again and again. Xisuma started laughing at how he was acting and I was soon giggling too. The situation needed to be more light-hearted than it was.

"We were all idiots, weren't we?"

My question was answered with a round of 'yes's from the two boys. I chuckled and leaned back on the sofa. The feeling in my stomach wasn't there. My heart wasn't going fast. My breathing was normal. I had made the right decision. If I had gone with the kiss who knows what we would have done.

"I'll get over this. I'm sure I will. I'm so sorry for dragging you down with me."

Mumbo's words hurt me. It wasn't his fault, we both did it to each other. When I opened my mouth to answer I found no words to explain. So I didn't. Instead I pulled him into a hug and squeezed him tightly. The shock on Mumbo's face was soon replaced with comfort and I closed my eyes. We stayed like that until Mumbo said something, his voice almost breaking.

"I'm sorry for everything I've made you have to deal with. But I really like you and I know you don't feel the same. Now I feel awful because I dropped it on you suddenly and have you no time to process or think about it."

He started to let go so I did too.

"But I know we're not going to be a thing, and I'll have to get over it."

We sat loosely holding onto each other. X was sitting up on the bed propped up on his arms, leaning back slightly. Mumbo took a deep breath and we sat basking each other's presence. No romantic feelings, no confusion, just living in the moment.

I nodded before I spoke to break the silence,

"I guess it was never meant to be."