hermitcraft oneshots :]

[Masked]

istg dream isn't involved in this at all-

I remember having a great time writing this oneshot even though it was a bit of a projecting/vent-y one, but I still really like this one :D

WARNING! This oneshot contains depictions of self-doubt and self-consciousness! If this topic makes you uncomfortable of causes you panic, I'd advise not to read this oneshot, but it's your personal decision.

WC: 2.5k

Grian considered himself a very secretive person.

Not in a bad way, per say, he just...didn't express himself fully around other people. He put on a so-called "mask" in front of everyone, but not to hide something bad.

To hide his true self.

He didn't know how his friends would react to his true self. In front of his friends, with the mask on, he was still bubbly and happy, but with it off, he could let his true colours shine through.

Sometimes he would get careless and the mask would crack a bit, and a little of his light would shine through. But he'd always patched it back up again, fearing what the reaction might be if he let himself go.

Someday, he always told himself.

Someday I'll take off the mask.

Someday I'll throw it on the ground and let it shatter into a million pieces.

Someday I'll be the full me.

But not yet.

Of course, if he never let himself free, then he'd probably explode. So that's why, every night, Grian would take off the mask and let himself go free. He'd sing and draw and write and paint and, more prominently, dance. He'd twirl around the main hall of his mansion, waltzing with pretend lovers, doing acrobatics in front of pretend crowds. And he loved it.

That's why night was his favourite time. Because that's when he could let loose and be himself.

And tonight was no different. Grian cartwheeled across the carpet, ending in a backhand spring that he landed perfectly. You'd think that dancing like that with wings would be hard, but not for Grian. He'd never done it without wings. He grinned, pretending to bow to his imaginary audience. His heart was pounding from all of the dancing he'd been doing, and he was sure it was quite late. He looked up at the glass ceiling of the mansion, realizing the moon was now right above him. It is quite late, he thought. He bit his lip, and then shrugged. I can sleep in tomorrow.

His breathing hitched when he thought he saw a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye. He narrowed his eyes at the top balcony, where he'd seen it. After staring for a moment, he concluded it must have been Maui or Pearl, and then went back to dancing.

Mumbo POV

I'm not a stalker. Just a quiet observer, really.

Ever since Grian had first joined the server in Season Six, Mumbo had noticed something peculiar about the short hermit. His mood seemed to fluctuate drastically, and it seemed dependent on the time. For example, during the day, he was much more calm than at night, when he seemed to get a bit antsy. Mumbo had always just excused it as just Grian being Grian, until one night when he was flying back to his base back in Season Six. It had been quite late at night, nearly midnight. Mumbo had just been getting back from grinding for quartz in the Nether.

As he'd flown past Grian's base, he'd noticed the lights were still on. He'd tried not to be nosy, but his curiosity had got the best of him and he'd glided down to the entrance of Grian's base. He'd nestled himself in a shadowy part of the framework, looking down into the inside of Grian's base.