The Villain and Hero (A Hermitcraft AU Rewrite)

Stress

"Bubbles!"

"What?"

"Breakfast time sleepyhead!"

"Nooo."

"We have pancakes."

"You can't cook."

"Shishwammy can."

Bdubs scowled. Xisuma's pancakes were always worth getting out of bed for. But he was so sleepy. He and Keralis stayed up late playing video games. Correction. They had stayed up late playing video games that Bdubs won. Every time. Well, unless you count the time Keralis made Bdubs play with his eyes closed. Even so, he only won by a very small margin.

"Come on Bubbles!"

"Just a little bit longer."

"Get yourself in the kitchen in five minutes or I'll eat your pancakes."

"Hey!" What was with this guy threatening people's food?

"Four minutes!"

"That was such a short minute!"

"Three and a half minutes!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming."

The pancakes were worth getting up for. Fluffy and sweet, still warm from the pan. A perfect way to start the morning. Even if they were accompanied by Xisuma's soft scolding for staying up so late. Luckily escaping Xisuma's lectures was as easy as reminding him they needed to get to work. Which they did, soon finding themselves walking down the streets below towering skyscrapers and the sunrise in the distance.

Much to Bdubs' delight, the pair got to the cafe with no fanfare. They walked in through the back entrance, frightening a poor Grian who stood taking inventory.

"Ach! Oh, it's just you Keralis." He turned away before whipping his head back around. "And Bdubs! On time! Two days in a row!"

"Haha. Yeah, I guess so."

Bzzt. Bz. Bzzt.

"That's mine." Keralis announced with a smile. "It's Stress! Hold on while I take this."

"Of course." Grian responded, but Keralis was already halfway across the room. "Hm. He's gonna be the death of us all."

Bdubs gave his boss a small glance.

"Am I wrong?"

"Nope."

"C'mon Bdubs. Busy day today."

"You say that every day."

"Yep. So every day it is busy we'll be prepared, and every day it isn't we'll be pleasantly surprised."

"That's... kinda genius."

"You just described my entire being."

A shout turned Grian and Bdubs' head back to Keralis.

"Stress wants a small get together tonight! You guys in?"

"I already have plans, sorry."

"That's fine. Bubbles?"

"Sure." Bdubs choked out. In his panic and subsequent distraction last night, he had forgotten to check up on Stress. The Mangler wouldn't do anything to her, would he? No. He probably left after throwing Bdubs off the balcony. What reason would he have to stay? It was probably just a coincidence. But that didn't keep Bdubs from thinking about it for his entire shift.

"Bubbles?" Keralis called out softly.

"Mm?"

"Are you okay? I meant to ask yesterday but got distracted."