Hermitcraft Oneshots and Other Things I guess

Claustrophobia (Grumbo)

This one was another request! enby_ofdoom, thank you! Requests are always open to anyone, so feel free to drop a comment and I will get it done! Also, I know I said astraphobia and Beetho, and I tried I swear but I just couldn't get the plot flowing I'm sorry-

That's also why this took so long, I made the first draft with astraphobia and Beetho buuuut... I just couldn't make it work. *sigh* Hope ya don't mind, Phantom!

This one was a challenge! I, personally, do NOT have claustrophobia, rather the opposite. I actually kinda like cramped and dark spaces, and it adds to the fact that my family jokes I'm part cat. Writing gives you a really interesting perspective on how other people think.

In case you haven't picked up on it, two things. One, shame on you. Two, claustrophobia is the fear of cramped/crowded spaces.

Grian former-Watcher AU! He still has wings but isn't a Watcher anymore.

This is more implied Grumbo, so take it how you want.

This takes place in Season Six!!

Warnings are panic attacks.

Setting is the Hermitcraft server

WC: ~730 

Enjoy!

Grian hated small spaces. Anything that felt cramped and dark was a no-go zone. It was why he liked to fly. If you could fly, then you weren't trapped. And the feeling of being trapped was horrible.

Flight was Grian's escape, his release. The open sky wasn't cramped. You could stretch your wings as far as they could go. You were free. 

Grian had been trapped far too much to be able to deal with any more.

Physical and mental boundaries.

It gave Grian shudders up his winged spine whenever he thought about it.

<MumboJumbo> G when will you organize your storage? 

Grian glanced at the communicator, a small smile creeping onto his face.

<Grian> we'll see 

<MumboJumbo> you need a sorting system

<Grian> idk how they work

<MumboJumbo> come 2 my base, I'll show you

Grian blinked. He supposed there wouldn't be any harm in popping over for a redstone tour. Maybe he can show me how all of it works! Grian grinned at the thought, then beat his wings and flew towards Mumbo's squashed sphere of a base. 

Landing at the top, on the snowball, Grian glanced around for his mustached friend. His heart skipped a beat at the thought of seeing him, and Grian scolded himself for it. He saw Mumbo all the time, why couldn't he just get over his dumb crush?

"Hi, Grian!" Mumbo called out, Grian whipped around to see Mumbo rocket up from below, then promptly crash-land on the snow surface. Grian burst out laughing as the redstoner pulled himself up with a face flushed from embarrassment.

"You're such a spoon," Grian said with a giggle. Mumbo sighed, standing up.

"Tell me something I don't know," Mumbo replied with a smile. 

"Nope, that's your job!" Grian told him. "I came here to learn, not you!" Mumbo laughed. 

"Fair enough," he agreed. "Let's get started, then?"

The two of them flew down to where Mumbo kept his storage system. Mumbo walked around, explaining how everything worked. How the waterstreams distributed the items. How the hopper alignment worked. How the hoppers would pick up certain items. The locking system. The way the chests held the items and how the hoppers put the items in the chests. Grian listened intently, fascinated.

"So it's magic," Grian finally said, once Mumbo was done.

"I-" Mumbo stuttered, as Grian tried and failed to stifle a giggle. 

"I'm just kidding," Grian clarified. "Can you show me how the super smelter works?" Mumbo let out a breath of relief and nodded. They glided down to one of the small futuristic buildings that Mumbo's base was surrounded by. Mumbo walked inside, followed closely by Grian, and to Grian's horror, slipped behind the furnaces. 

"The redstone's back here," Mumbo explained. Grian, against all of his instincts, steeled his nerves and followed. 

"It's a tight squeeze, kinda dark," Mumbo said apologetically. "Stay here for a pinch, I need to grab something." And Mumbo squeezed out, leaving Grian alone in the space.

No, not space. There was no space.

Grian was trapped. 

Without realizing it, Grian's breaths started quickening. 

Why can't I breathe? 

I'm trapped.

Trapped.

Were the walls closing in on him?

Grian felt restricted.

Fly.

Grian spread his wings.

Only for them both to hit wall.

WHY ARE THERE WALLS EVERYWHERE?

Grian felt his knees give way and his breaths become even more unstable.

Panic was flowing through every one of his veins. 

Everything was dark, and cramped, and restricted, and alone, and-

"Grian?" 

Mumbo.

Grian tried to speak, but his lungs felt too constricted for that. All he was able to manage was a choked sob. 

"Grian!" 

Warmth. A warmth around him. Although surrounding him, it almost made him feel free. Free enough to talk.

"T-Trapped," Grian managed. "I- I can't b- breathe." For a moment, Grian felt warm and weightless, and then just warm. The warmth didn't go away. 

Grian opened his eyes, although he hadn't realized they were closed. 

He was free.

Out of the prison. 

And in Mumbo's arms.

Not caring, Grian gripped Mumbo's suit and cried into it, the redstoner stroking his hair comfortingly until he calmed  down.

"I'm so sorry, Grian," Mumbo murmured. "I had no idea you had claustrophobia."

"I should've just told you," Grian hiccuped. "It's a dumb fear." Mumbo held the builder close, and his grip onto tightened protectively at these words.

"No fear is dumb," Mumbo said. "Though you definitely should have just told me." Grian giggled.

"I guess I'm the spoon now," Grian pointed out.

"You certainly are."

Woopdidoodly doo. Phantom, thank you again for the request, sorry if it isn't what you wanted! 

-Storm