Wilted Petals | A Hermitcraft Story |

A Single Phrase

"Grian?!" Mumbo shouted, watching as Grian collapsed to the ground. He didn't understand, Grian had just said that he was fine? Why was this happening.

Everyone in the call began shouting, panicking, offering advice. All of them were just as confused as Mumbo. Hadn't Grian just said that he was fine?

Grian was on his hands and knees, trembling. Every single part of him was in agony. He began to cough violently, each one sending a shockwave of horrible burning pain that jolted his body.

Grian kept coughing until finally he coughed up an entire rose.

Mumbo sat with Grian, watching in horror. "I don't understand!" he cried, "I thoughy you said it was better! I thought we had more time!"

Grian just looked up at him, tears flooding his eyes. He looked back down at the ground beneath him. The carpet was covered in blood stains.

Grian kept coughing, barely able to get air into his lings between each cough. It was like he was back in his dream, but this time he knew it was real.

Grian knew that he was about to die.

And he understood exactly what was killing him.

He looked up at Mumbo again, unable to speak. He continued coughing, yet another rose appearing.

Mumbo felt tears begin to spill. He felt his chest tighten as he watched Grian shake and cough. His friend was dying and all he could do was watch.

Mumbo felt every second of Grian's pain, and the guilt was crushing him. And all he could do was try to hold a brave face as Grian's life slowly drained from him.

"Mu- Mumbo-" Grian choked, not knowing what else to do except call out to his best friend.

His best friend.

Mumbo shook his head, knowing that speaking would only do more damage. He grabbed Grian and held him. "I'm right here," he whispered. Tears spilled from both of them.

Grian leaned into Mumbo, still coughing and gasping. He leaned in, his heart breaking, knowing that this was real. And none of this mattered.

Grian felt himself breaking, and he looked at Mumbo once again. "This is real," Grian whispered.

Mumbo closed his eyes as he felt the tears pouring down his cheeks. "Yes," he replied, "This is real."

Grian let himself cry, and he looked away from Mumbo.

Mumbo, his best friend, someone who didn't feel the same as he did. Someone who Grian-

Someone who Grian loved.

Grian looked up at Mumbo for the last time.

A lifetime of words exchanged in a single glance.

Although this time, Mumbo would never get a response.

Mumbo held Grian and felt as he went still.

"Grian?" Mumbo asked.

He shook Grian a bit, hoping that this wasn't real.

But Mumbo knew this was real.

He knew because the pain he felt was definitely real.

Mumbo just held Grian and cried, knowing that he had just lost someone that he-

Someone he loved...

He felt the weight of guilt crushing him. All the words he would never say, all the things he would never feel, all of it crushed him.

Mumbo couldn't breathe. Every bit of oxygen in him left.

It felt like his lungs were being crushed. But instead of being crushed by hundreds of rose petals, Mumbo was being crushed by the weight of his loss.

And the guilt knowing that it was his fault.

It was all his fault.

Mumbo just held Grian in his arms and sobbed.

The guilt broke him.

He closed his eyes. "I'm so sorry Grian," he whispered, "I love you."

I love you.

I love you.

I love you.

...

Mumbo didn't realize how much a single phrase really meant.

At that moment, Mumbo watched as Grian suddenly gasped and shot up.

"Grian?!" Mumbo yelled.

Grian clutched his chest, the pain that had been burning in his chest suddenly leaving.

He looked around, trying to figure out what had happened. He was... he-

He was alive?

He just stared at Mumbo, still trying to grasp everything.

Mumbo and Grian just stared at each other, and it was as though everything clicked.

So many different feelings, unspoken words, emotions big and small were all spilled in that one moment.

A lifetime of words was exchanged in a single glance.

And every single one of them was beautiful.

Mumbo began to laugh, just staring at Grian. Grian joined in, being able to laugh without pain for the first time in what felt like forever.

They both laughed and held each other, every emotion from the past few days overwhelming them.

Suddenly, Mumbo leaned into Grian. Grian looked at him and leaned in.

And just like that, they kissed.

And Grian felt his chest explode. But this time, it was a beautiful, welcome explosion. An explosion full of life and joy.

Grian had been waiting for this kind of explosion for longer than he had realized.

Grian looked up at Mumbo and smiled.

It was like both of them had felt an enormous weight life from them.

And they both had felt the same thing.

A lifetime of longing in a single kiss. And just like that, Grian could breathe again.

Mumbo could breathe again.

And breathing had never felt so good.

....

HEY THERE!

I'm sorry that this chapter was kind of short. In fact, this whole story was kind of short.

I'm sorry if this ending isn't as satisfying for you. But for me, this was just the natural end to their story.

And honestly, I'm pretty darn happy with it.

I'd like to thank everyone who stuck around as I wrote this. I had a blast writing this little live story, and if you like Hermitcraft then I'd suggest sticking around.

I am planning to release the first chapter of a much longer Grian fanfic in the next couple of weeks for anyone who's interested. It'll be focused on Watcher Grian lore, and it'll have a lot of angst as well as fluff.

Again, thank you for reading and I hope to see you around again sometime soon.

-Shadow