Under The Helmet || Hermitcraft AU

Chapter 19

POV: Xisuma
Word Count: 555
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The server fell silent. Even the slowly lapping shores seemed to quiet.

Xisuma looked at his grubby boots in shame, feeling the whole crowd's eyes upon his untidy hair.

After what felt like a lifetime, he raised his eyes from his footwear, to face the crowd. His overgrown hair flopped onto his shoulders.

The afternoon sun shone golden beams of light onto Xisuma, almost light a spotlight, highlighting all of his features. Pointed nose, overgrown hair, pale scars and all.

The corners of his brilliant purple eyes burned with tears.

God knows how long the server sat silently, observing the man's features as tears threatened to fall onto his armour. 

Suddenly, breaking the tension, there was a whoop of joy and a small explosion before a small, red-sweatered man was launched towards the sun. "HERMIT CHALLENGES!" Grian screamed gleefully in the distance, particles showering the citizens below.

The audience burst into laughter, the joyful noise echoing around the humid island on which they stood.
"Grian wait!" Mumbo yells over the dozens of voices, flying after his friend. "That wasn't the challenge!" 

Xisuma took a deep, shaky breath and smiled, eyes shining with joy and tears. It felt as if a weight had been lifted off his chest.

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Xisuma collapsed onto his bed, somehow exhausted from his actions. He lay back and tried to process all the things that have just happened. His communicator buzzed and Xisuma made a vow not to check his communicator for the rest of today after this message. 

He rolled over and switched on his communicator, reading the chat messages;

MumboJumbo: Xisuma, meet at the "Etho smells" sign

Xisuma sat up straighter. It was probably to talk about what had happened today. Nonetheless, he strapped on his damaged elytra and took off in the direction of the jungle, his helmet discarded by the side of his bed.

He touched down on top of the iron "E" of "Etho". Looking around the area, darkening as the sun set over the horizon. He saw Mumbo, his back facing towards the man, and staring determinedly into the rising moon.

"Hey," Xisuma said, tiredly initiating the conversation. His moustached friend yelped and jumped, spinning to face the voice and teetering on the edge of the word.

"You sound- uhm- a lot different without your helmet," Mumbo said in a pathetic voice.

"Is that all you wanted to say? Did you want to talk about what happened this afternoon?" Xisuma asked, unintentionally sounding scathing.

Mumbo shook his head. "Nah, actually I wanted to talk about something else". 

Well, that's certainly a first, Xisuma thought, "Oh?" He replied. 

Mumbo started to twirl his moustache. "Well... I was going to ask- would you like to trade your helmet for my moustache?" the man blurted out.

Xisuma looked taken aback. "What?"

Mumbo shrugged. "I know this isn't what someone might ask you every day." Xisuma raised an eyebrow and asked. "This isn't for a Hermit Challenges thingy is it..?" Mumbo hastily stuffed a charred piece of paper into his suit pocket, "No... not at all!"

They were silent for a few moments, then burst into laugher. The kind of laughter that ended in tears and hiccups for the shorter of the men.

The pair collapsed onto the iron platform together, lying down and staring silently at the stars.

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Finally! Done! After months!

istg thank you all for sticking here <3Thank you so much Yeetmstr for essentially planning out this chapter for me -Lilla