A writer trying to burgeon

As is only reasonable, I refused to think anymore. I went completely head-empty watching some videos on my phone in the dark of my room before eventually passing out without a thought to my name. Everything should go by perfectly, I’ll forget about yesterday and today should proceed as normal.

Right?

I lay in a half-asleep stupor when something possesses me to check my phone. 11:30 AM..? How late was I up watching videos... A Pesterchum notification?

AC: :33< hey (name)! be there at 12!

Oh.

AC: :33< ill make karkitten open the door if youre sl33ping in again h33h33 AC: :33< is it pawlright if aradia comes too?

Oh no.

I completely forgot Nepeta was stopping by to pick up part of her cosplay she left behind last time we held DnD here. And we’re supposed to go out to the craft store after.

With all the practice of a college student who had woken up minutes before class began way too many times, I rush out of bed and get dressed in a flash—it’s just Nepeta and Aradia, they can handle it if I accidentally wear my shirt backwards. Breakfast! Breakfast? Is there time for breakfast?

I scramble out the door and beeline it to the fridge. Yogurt will have to do. Karkat was leaning over the counter with a bowl of cereal and his phone in hand, watching me in bewilderment.

“(Name)-“

“Hm?!” WHAT. Why didn’t he start by swearing at me? What does he want? I probably responded too fast-

“-if you have the time, which, by the looks of it, maybe you don’t… No, wait, what the hell has you all flighty?”

“Um!” I shovel some yogurt into my mouth and dunk the empty container in the trash. “See, uh, in like, 10 minutes Nepeta’s coming over?”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, (Name), you know we tell each other before we have guests,” he moves to pick up his bowl.

“No, no! She won’t be staying—we’re leaving right after. I would have told you yesterday if we had something planned, but really she won’t be here long so I forgot. I… also overslept, sorry.”

Karkat’s face contorts, trying to read me as if I were a sign across the room. I find myself avoiding his gaze, for some reason. He gives up, and with a sigh places the food back down.

“Fine.”

“… Aradia too.”

“Fuckin’—The more the goddamn merrier, I guess.”

I smile in relief and wash the spoon I was using. He seems to have forgotten what he wanted to talk to me about, so that’s a plus!

“So,” Goddammit. “I just wanted to say-“

“Brush my teeth! I have to go brush my teeth. Tell me after?”

“Wha-“

I’m in the bathroom with the door closed before I hear the end of that. Why the HELL am I freaking out so bad? I don’t even know what he wants to say! It probably isn’t about last night. There isn’t even anything to say about last night! I was just on top of him a little! Roommates can get touchy with… each other… no they don’t. Do they? I’m spitting out paste before I even realized I started brushing. I check myself in the mirror. I really could have messed up today with forgetting to tell him about Nep coming over. I owe it to him to at least listen to what he has to say. Can’t find a solution when you’re too scared to look at the problem, or something.

I pull open the handle in defeat.

“Hi Karkat!” That’s… not my voice.

“Hey Nepeta. (Name)’s in the bathroom. Yeah, Aradia, go ahead. Make this your hive.” Karkat dripped with all the sarcasm I was to blame for.

“Hi! I’m here, I'm almost ready! I just need to grab my bag and stuff.”

Karkat was holding the door open as Aradia and Nepeta filed in. I wave to them both as they talk quietly between themselves. Karkat’s iconic scowl hit me like a headshot. Yeah. He’s going to tear me to shreds when I get back.

I mouth “sorry” at him as I hurry past.

Last week, I stored Nepeta’s delicate cosplay hat in my closet when I noticed she had left it here. I suppose if I kept it out I wouldn’t have forgotten about today, but there’s nothing I can do about that now.

Her craftsmanship is gorgeous. From what I remember, Kanaya knit the base as some sort of a beanie, but Nepeta created these intricate fantasy flowers and sewn them into a sort of laurel configuration around the rim. I loved Nep’s DnD character, probably the most interesting out of the groups just by the way Nepeta role-played her, but the cosplay she brings every week just goes to show how much time and care went into creating the character as well. A druid swiftstride shifter, can’t get more Nepeta than that. 

I should probably stop gawking and get back out there.

“Eee! Thank you so much for keeping it safe!” I feel almost too guilty to smile when Nepeta takes the hat from me. She puts it on as she bounces excitedly in place, apparently down to wear it out of the house. Honestly, she should wear it everywhere with how much time it must have taken to make.

“Of course! I’m just sorry about oversleeping today. We should get going right away. Have you guys eaten?”

“No,” says Aradia, stepping out into the hallway. “When Nepeta told me you weren’t answering, we both suspected you’d be too busy rushing to get ready to eat.”

“Wow! Geez, gumshoe, give me a break.” The other two are already down the hall when Karkat grabs me by the arm.

“Kar!?“

“We are going to talk when you get back. And before you flip whatever’s left in your stupid, rotting thinkpan, I’m. Not. Mad at you.”

… Allllllright.

Kinda out of character for Karkat if I’m honest.

His eyes bore into me with some expression I couldn’t understand. Yet, despite staring down each other for what felt like the rest of the afternoon, I don’t get the chance to dumbly respond with at least an “okay” before he shuts the door. _________________

Aradia pulled us to a cafe when I said I couldn’t stop dreaming about a hot breakfast sandwich. I’m honestly just saying anything to try not to think about how serious Karkat sounded. The other two go secure a table outside while I stand waiting for our orders. The cafe is almost crowded but mostly it’s pleasant with its mild chattering. I’m just grateful to sit outside in the crisp autumn air, hopefully it will clear my head. A tray appears on the counter before me and a server calls my name.

Nepeta and I have been friends nearly since college began. We were both art majors and we just clicked too well not to stick like glue. To top it off, I adored her art style. I often tell her how adorable her art style is, but she compliments mine back just as much if not more. She majored in 2D animation and it always felt like she was much more well-rounded than me. We make it a habit to gush about each other’s art constantly, she’s more than aware of how much I admire her. I mean, she’s getting plenty more commissions than I ever had.

And Aradia was a friend that Nepeta had introduced me to when we were batting around the idea of starting a DnD session. There’s no one with better time management than Aradia, and that’s like half the battle of being a dungeon master, I’m pretty sure. Not to mention her stories are always so exciting, she really knows how to make it feel like we’re really exploring dungeons and looting ruins.

The only other players in our session are Dave and Karkat, Dave who claims to have been dragged along by Aradia and Karkat who wouldn’t shut up about it until I let him join back when we first started dorming together. Ever since him and I got that table, we’ve been using it every other Sunday to play together in person.

“(Name)? Hellooo?”

“Ah! Sorry, did you say something? I was totally in my head.” Nepeta had apparently been trying to get my attention. Maybe this is more of a ruminating week.

“Heehee! You seem like you have a bit of a full heart, lately. You were acting strange since you caught up with us back at your apartment.”

“Huh? Oh...”

“Something on your mind?” Aradia leaned in.

I guess I trust these two more than anyone…

“I… Promise it’s not a big deal. In fact I’m pretty sure I’m making a bigger deal of it than it needs to be.” The two share a look briefly. “It was just something that happened between me and Karkat yesterday.”

“Did you guys fight?” Aradia asked way too fast and with too big a smile on her face. She does love drama after all.

“No. Not really, I guess. Well, it’s weird. And you have to promise not to make fun of me because this is actually super easy to make fun of me about.”

They both start giggling, which evolves into just full laughter.

“Right, not sure why I even asked,” I laugh along with them.

“We won’t! We won’t, we’ll be so serious,” Nepeta mediates with a lingering smirk.

“Nepeta, do you, like...” I look for my words like they’re somewhere on the table with my sandwich. “When you lived with Equius, did you guys… hug?”

“Yes of course! But I also just hug people all the time.” She demonstrates by half-hugging Aradia right next to her.

“What, did you just hug Karkat for the first time?” Aradia asks incredulously, almost ignoring Nepeta at her side.

“No,” I say with almost a scolding tone. “We’ve hugged before… I think. It’s not about that. I’m sorta just trying to find a roundabout way to explain… Well, I sorta was on top of him.” 

“YOU WHAT?” They scream in unison.

“NOT LIKE THAT! It wasn’t like that! I just had my leg on his! But we were really close and for I don’t know how long—we were playing a game together!”

“Well what did he do?” One of them asks, I’m too busy burying my head in my hands.

“So when we won the level, at some point he put his arm on my back? And we still didn’t notice until we looked at each other.”

“And?”

“And that’s it”

“That’s it?” Aradia presses.

“Yes ‘that’s it!’ And I’m freaking out!”

“Really, (Name). That seems pretty normal to me! You both got excited is all. Even if it is weird that Karkat gets excited at anything at all,” Aradia tries to reason, Nepeta stays focused on me.

“But I really can’t read him! Ok, but this morning is when it gets weird. I think he was trying to talk to me about it, but I’m way too scared to hear him out.”

“What is there to be scared of? You’re the only one Karkat doesn’t really scream at. He’s more at, like, 70% with you at most.”

“I’m not scared of that. I… don’t know. That’s what I’m having trouble with. I don’t even know why I’m nervous. I just don’t want anything to change between us. He’s the best roommate I’ve ever had.”

“Are you worried he may have liked you all along?” Nepeta asks very quietly, but very pointedly. I stare at her like she has the answer written on her face.

“I… think so. I guess that’s what I haven’t been able to put into words. I don’t know how I’d feel if this whole time he was only nice to me because he liked me like that. Only moved in together because…”

My heart catches in my throat, I really don’t know what I’d do…

The two share a look, this time more troubled.

“(Name)…” Aradia starts.

“I don’t think that’s happening. I mean no offense, but when Karkat likes someone, it’s very obvious. We would have seen something during our sessions at the least,” Nepeta finishes.

Oh, right. It’s no secret Nepeta had a huge crush on Karkat for a very long time. It wasn’t until maybe sophomore year that we encouraged Nepeta to tell him, all of us knowing fully well he didn’t feel the same way. It was strange, though, the way Nepeta gained a lot of confidence after he rejected her feelings. She was a completely different, happier person. They’d been friends much longer than I knew either of them, but it was only after that day that they both seemed completely honest with one another. Karkat, too, could laugh around her more and more since then. I hope I’m not reviving any bad history.

“And if I know him, I’d say he’s probably trying to clear this up as well.”

“Nepeta’s right. Everyone noticed how you started to act similar once you were dorming together. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was freaking out as much as you for the same reasons.”

I sighed as if I had been out of breath. “So there’s nothing to worry about?”

“Not at all,” Nepeta smiled and put both hands on one of mine. She looked absolutely charming with the afternoon sun on her hat and her cute cat-ear horns.

“Aw man. It would have been much more exciting if he made a move on you. Imagine how awkward next session would be.”

“I don’t think you’d like that as much as you say you would, Aradia.”

“It would enhance your characters!”

The heavy air leaves the table with our fit of laughter. I’m definitely ready to see Karkat tonight, even if he needs to cut me to ribbons.

“Thank you guys. I promise I’ll be more present for the rest of the day.”

Nepeta perks up “You better! I just got a huge commission and I want to spend all day in the craft store!”

Aradia tags along. “And I’ve been getting into woodworking, we may have to stop at a hardware store too.”

“Oh, what the hell! All I need is a new sketchbook!”

Previous Chapter

Author's Note: I always wanted to read a fic where Aradia and the reader were friends :3

   It’s blue hour isn’t it? I can hardly tell if there are clouds in the sky right now. Looking up between the buildings feels as though I might be about to fall into a deep, dark pool. The street below looks like it’s underwater, the lights from all buildings nearby look… tired? Like I’m looking back at the past through an old, sad movie.

  The front door jingles and opens. 

   Oh, Karkat’s home. What the hell was I doing just now?

   I could have sworn I was doing… something on my laptop. Oh, right. Just watching some YouTube. But, I paused it? To look at the clouds? I’m really out of it right now, I guess. 

   Unconsciously I shake the distraction out of my head. It hasn’t been that long since I got back from my job at the grocery store, I must have spaced out trying to relax to some videos. Whatever, there are much more important things to think about at a time like now. 

   “Karkaaat-” I announce once I open the door to the living room, drawing out his name as long as I could.

   “Fucking hell! What!” He grouched something about just getting back home, a single moment of peace would be nice. He hides his startled jump by trying to put his coat on the rack by the door. 

   “You said you’re cooking tonight,“ I accuse, “and I have never been more in the mood for chicken than I am in this moment right now.” I point a finger at him like I’m in a courtroom and my last name is Wright.

   Karkat makes a look like some sort of wince. “Uh huh. And I’m the unfortunate slob who has to do something about that.” It was almost phrased like a question. He exaggerates every move as he closes the door and steps inside. 

   “You are!” I nod “When you lost the chess match with John yesterday, you also made your roommate look like a loser, remember?”

   “Yes, I get it, I get it. You’re annoying and I have to pay for it.”

   “I’m just saying we both know John is going to ridicule me for even thinking about supporting you at the tournament so you should be the one who has to pay the medical bill for the… embarrassment. In the form of food. Tonight. As dinner…” He looks up at me from taking off his shoes, not amused and highly confused. “I’m losing my train of thought. You said you’d make dinner anyway! Why am I trying to convince you?”

   “I didn’t even say anything,” he chuckles, “that was 100% you.” 

   “I picked up chicken and broccoli from the store today!” As I walked past him to the fridge, I hit him on the arm. 

   “Fucker,” he spits.

   “And I’ll do the dishes like usual.” Placing the chicken on the counter, I reach for the broccoli-

   “Just sit your ass down! If I have to deal with your sniveling prongs making a mess all over the meal block, (Name), I swear to God we are not having a repeat of pasta night.” He starts to make big shooing gestures, ushering me out.

   “You really suffocate my creative spirit, KK,” I playfully sigh, knowing full well I shouldn’t be allowed in the kitchen with my track record of spilling anything that can be spilled. Sometimes even things that can’t be spilled. 

   “Last time I checked, we don’t need ‘creativity’ over an open flame.” 

   “You may be right.” I giggle. “Thanks for cooking though.” 

   He mumbles some affirmation and gets to work. My gaze lingers on his back for just a moment before going back to my room to grab my Switch. I’ll always feel guilty about not helping out but I know that even if I were more graceful in the kitchen, he prefers to have control over everything. I will, however, be within earshot if he needs an extra hand. Starting up something casual on the Switch, I plop down onto the couch. 

   Maybe there was something in those clouds today. I can’t stay focused on one thing for too long. I’ve abandoned the game, still holding it my hands while its quiet soundtrack plays. Every time Karkat uttered a curse over the food, I caught myself looking up, watching him for a while, then looking away. 

   We’d been roommates for ages now, since the last year of college. We quickly clicked, which was super fortunate for me. There was no way I wanted to live on my own after school, and as luck would have it, he wasn’t opposed to staying as roommates either. He, for the most part, enjoys cooking, I clean the dishes since he says he hates doing that, he doesn’t mind to remind me when I forget to do a chore around the house, and I’m not bothered by how he gets loud on calls with his friends. It’s such a ruminating day today…

   “Hello? Do you have slime in your hear ducts?”

   Eh? Ruminating over. 

   “Earth to (name).” 

   “I’m here! I’m awake,” I jostle suddenly.

   Karkat just started putting everything on the table—the nice one we worked together to buy so we had somewhere to play his tabletop games. Though, it also takes up the majority of the small apartment. 

   “Sure you are. You weren’t even looking at the game, you looked like you were undressing the meal vault with your mind.” 

   A surprised laugh escapes from me as I get off the couch. 

   “Food’s ready.” 

   “Yay! Thank you again, it smells really really good.” 

   “Mhm.”

   We squeeze into the chairs and dig in, it tastes just as good as it smells. I’m honestly pretty lucky Karkat is cool with cooking for me. We used to eat in our rooms, both because of the lack of a table but also because we both preferred eating alone. It’s likely we’re only eating here to get our money’s worth, but there’s still something satisfying about a warm homemade meal over a nice table. 

   “Kar?” 

   He only looks up in response, food’s probably keeping him from his usual yelling. 

   “I got a new game if you want to play with me tonight,” I swallow and continue, “since it’s Friday and whatever.”

   He sighs loudly once he’s done chewing. 

   “Cooking for you and entertaining your screen addiction? Seriously, (Last Name), have I been put on this planet, cursed by the twisted gods who hide their sorry asses among the stars where they know my mortal wrath can’t reach, to be the player 2 at your beck and call?” Despite his long-windedness, his voice is softer than usual, making me smile before I even process what he said–a good sign he’s totally up for a game. 

   I perk up, “It’s called Heave Ho, I’ve watched other people play it so I got it myself. I think you’ll really like it.” 

   “If it wasn’t Saturday tomorrow I wouldn’t even think about it.” 

   “Yay!” I kick him under the table and he kicks me back just as hard. “This is super fuckin’ good by the way, I’d eat this every night.”

   “I only followed a recipe, you don’t have to slobber all over my bulge about it.” 

   “Gross, in front of my chicken?” 

_________________

   “Could you! Fucking! Hold on for one second! Do you think you’re capable of doing that?”

   “Hahah-I’m trying, I’m trying! I swear to god the button is unpressing its-hahaha-elf!”

   “It’s not ‘unpressing’ itself you’re CLEARLY letting go–just fucking–HOLD ME UP!”

   “I AM! What! Pfft bahaha-you don’t think I’m doing everything I can?”

   “You’re swinging in the wrong direction–(NAME) YOU–AGH-”

   A short “splat” noise follows and I erupt in laughter. Karkat throws his head backwards on the couch and groans sounds of anguish into his hands. I can’t help putting down my controller, my character dying as a result, and holding my sides to try and keep them from splitting. 

   “You thought I would like this game?! You thought, no–” he turns so he’s facing me on the couch, “(Name) you thought,” he grabs me by both arms, which I don’t really process because I’m still laughing “You thought there was some way in ever-loving Hell we could play this game without me bursting a fucking blood vessel and dying here in this room right now?!”

   “Sto-op!” I can only manage to squeal between gasps at air in my laughter. “I can’t–I can’t,”

   “Literally the most hopeless display at cooperative gameplay I’ve ever fucking seen and you make me play every damn game you buy.” He lets go of me and I fall backwards onto the arm of the couch, still giggling away. Distantly, I can hear him also laughing. It fills me with accomplishment, knowing I chose a game he would enjoy. I knew this game would be ragey, but it’s also primarily skill-based. As long as he knows I’m trying, which he can trust from how often we play together, he’ll have a good time.

   Finally I can manage one big gulp of air before I’m back in position. He was holding his head up with one hand, massaging the bridge of his nose, surely trying to hide the sharp-toothed grin he can’t shake. I knock my shoulder into his to snap him out, and after collecting himself he retaliates with enough strength to nearly push me off the couch. I rebound and get comfortable again, sitting cross-legged with one leg over his.

   “We. Just-“ I giggle “-need to regroup.”

   “Oh really? Oh really, is that all?”

“Stop it—I’m being so real Karkat I might piss if you make me laugh again don’t even test me. Pick up the controller, we can do this.”

   “No, we have to do this. We’re going to beat this level.”

   “YES! That’s the spirit.”

   We muse over our plan a little more. Deciding how exactly we should angle our characters to achieve the perfect toss—right into the goal. A couple more failed attempts go by calmly, “all part of the plan” I repeat like a mantra. 

   A calculated silence falls over the apartment. Blue hour is far from over and the windows we forgot to close display a full dark scene of a quiet cityscape. Some bright apartments far away are blinking sleepily.

   “FUCKING-“

   “No no no, focus-“

   Our characters swing, the game music hums idly, our characters stare blankly back at us. 

   We launch ourselves at the goal. 

   Everything is still.

   A successful note starts to ring.

   “YES HOLY SHIT!”

   “Oh my god!”

   We both start to pump the air with a wave accomplishment washing over us. Confetti in the game starts to fall and I turn to look at Karkat-

   -at the same time he turns to look at me. 

   Both our smiles drop to surprise and a beat goes by. I push myself off of him and he takes his hand off from my back—

   “I’m sorry, sorry, I didn’t realize I was so close-” I start.

   “No- you’re fine, I didn’t… Notice. I wasn’t paying attention, sorry.”

   We both nervously laugh. The soundtrack went quiet, briefly, before it automatically moved onto the next level with a funny sound effect. 

   What. 

   The FUCK–why was I–I had somehow managed to get myself half on top of Karkat while we played–and then when we looked at each other we were so close- and what the fuck he stared at me I think? How long did we look at each other? What the fuck was that? And his arm, I can’t-

   “Oh man! We left the blinds open, let me just close them really quick.” I stand up, speeding without really thinking about it, to the window. 

   “(Name)?” Nope. Ignoring that. 

   I prop myself up by two arms over the back of the couch, moving so rigidly it nearly hurts. 

   “We beat the level! That’s pretty cool! So. Maybe it’s about time y’know we call it a day. Right? Yeah.”

   He still doesn’t say anything while I start to pull the switch out of the dock and lock the joycons back in place. 

   “Um? Sorry, again, I’m just gonna go back to my room. So um! Goodnight!” I robot over to my door. 

   “What the- (Name)!”

   “Oh, and for the food! Thanks again!”

   And slam it shut by accident. I don’t hear anything from the other room for a moment, not for the minute or two I strained myself to listen. I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding and slump against the door. 

   Ever so slowly, I ghost my hand over my mouth.

   Why am I freaking out so much?

Next Chapter

Homestuck

karkat/anyone

nepeta/anyone

I’m not interested in writing for hermitcraft anymore, but if I ever write for it again, these are the pairings I’m interested in.

Hermitcraft

grian/mumbo (definitely)

grian/scar

mumbo/scar

grian/mumbo/scar (ive never written a poly fic before... we’ll see i guess)

mumbo/zedaph

grian/zedaph

tango/zedaph

   Grian stared down the empty side of the bed with discontent. He’s tried to sleep, but at least an hour of struggle has passed to no avail. He knows Mumbo said he would be working late, he knows he told Mumbo he understood, and he knows he’s working on something important. Maybe he wouldn’t be so restless if Mumbo hadn’t been acting so odd lately.

   Grian pawed absentmindedly at where Mumbo should be. Just shut your eyes and go to bed. You can’t just ask him to stop working. He tried to knit eyes closed, honestly he did. Don’t be selfish. You sleep beside each other every day, you can handle one night without him. Grian knew this much logically, shouldn’t that be enough to coax him to sleep?

   Grian sat up with a knot in his gut. If he just said goodnight to Mumbo one last time, he would be satisfied. Yeah, yeah! He’d just walk out that door and into Mumbo’s workshop, kiss him goodnight, give him a big hug, and he’d finally be able to fall fast asleep. It’s a plan.

   So he padded through their dark base, keeping a hand dragging across the walls he passed for a bit of stability and wings dragging along the floor. Down the stairs, turn at the hallway, and open the door. The welcoming squeak of the floorboards beneath him as he walked closer to desk made Mumbo jump sharply, turning to see Grian in his loose pajamas and feathers misaligned and trailing the floor behind him.

   “Hiii! Mumb!” Grian’s chirp came out as a slurry of sleep.

   “My love, what are you doing up?” Mumbo’s words weren’t much more awake than Grian’s.

   As Grian approached, Mumbo swiveled around and they wordlessly embraced in a hug. Grian buried his head down into Mumbo’s neck, taking as much of a breath of him as possible before he knew he would have to go back. Mumbo seemed to relish just as much, holding onto Grian’s back as if they had to hold so tightly if they wanted to stay upright.

   In sync, they pulled away.

   “Grian it’s…” Mumbo pulled back his sleeve “it’s past midnight, you have to be up tomorrow.”

   “I’m only saying goodnight.. n’ then I’ll go back.”

   Mumbo’s heart thumped and his face of knitted worry softened just a bit. “My dear…”

   Grian reached for Mumbo’s face, staring at his eyes for a thick moment before planting a kiss square on his forehead. “How much longer do you still have to work, Mumb?”

   Mumbo’s eyes widened, then he quickly turned back to his work, trying to hide the way his face knitted with worry once again.

   “Erm, well. I’m… About that I’m… See you don’t really need to worry about it I’m sure I can… it’s… erm…”

   Oh. Grian was expecting a concrete answer. He craned to get a better look at Mumbo, but Mumbo flinched into turning further away.

   “Mumbo? Are you alright?”

   “Yea—! Er, well no yeah it’s not- I’ll be fi—no it’s fine, really!”

   Grian’s feathers bristled.

   “Mumbo, tell me what all of this is about.”

   “You said you’d go to sleep after you told me goodnight.”

   “And I didn’t say goodnight yet.”

   Mumbo finally swallowed, stared up at Grian, and sighed. He braced his grip on the rim of his stool.

   “I haven’t—” he choked, “—I haven’t been working on this blueprint Iskall asked me to rework. He asked me—“ he curled in on himself and hugged his sides, “—2 weeks ago. And I just haven’t been working on it! I haven’t been working on it and he’s been asking for it and I just haven’t done it.” Mumbo started to breathe quickly, and flung arm gestures into the air in front of him.

   The twinge of disgust in Mumbo’s voice wrought Grian’s heart with distress.    “And I don’t know why! I’ve quite literally had all the time in the world, Iskall’s been the most understanding and each time he asks for it I disappoint him and I’m so sick of disappointing him and—“

   “Mumbo! Mumbo listen to me! Stop! Oh—“ Grian grasped Mumbo’s shoulders and attempted to pull Mumbo to face him, but Mumbo was so stiff and his chest raising so quickly that he couldn’t move him. “Mumbo if you would breathe—“ Grian tried shouting so Mumbo could hear him over his sobbing. Thinking quickly, he wiggled himself between the stool and the desk and used the leverage from the furniture to push the chair back just a bit with the force of his legs. When just grabbing a hold of either shoulder didn’t draw Mumbo’s attention, he took a hold of mumbo chin, and pulled it up to face him. Mumbo’s eyes were clearly clouded with tears but he started finally gasping for breath.

   “Mumbo breathe for me, can you please?”

   Mumbo’s heaves came out terribly trembling, but continued them thankfully.

   “Oh good, Mumbo, good job. Great job, that’s it,” Grian worried circles into Mumbo’s shoulders. “My poor thing.”

   Mumbo’s body shuddered just a couple more times before stilling. Sniffles continuously rose from him.

   “Mumbo if you can hear me, please hear that you doing so well. Not breathing, I mean. You’re doing fine work on the blueprint, Iskall is your friend and he will understand.”

   “I’m awful.”

   “You will not say that again. How awful could you possibly be if you’re killing yourself over this desk in the middle of the night, trembling and shaking like a rabbit in front of a.. a hawk! Just trying to do a favor for your friend? I know you feel bad. We can fix this Mumbo, but we can’t fix it in the state you’re in now if you could breathe for me just a bit more.” Grian pulled Mumbo’s disheveled hair up and out of his eyes.

   Hushed, Mumbo shivered. “Grian. I don’t know what to do.”

    “We will figure this out Mumbo. I will help you.”

   “You’re too… kind to me Gri.”

   “You’re silly. You’re quite silly Mumbo.”

   “I’m not silly,” Mumbo sniffed.

   “Right right right, of course. Would you like to come to bed with me? Get out of your work clothes. It’s not good to be dressed up like that for so long y’know.”

   “Who says that?”

   “I do. And I say you’re coming to bed and we’ll think about this in the morning.”

    “I’m sorry Grian.”

   “No, you’re coming to bed, you don’t get that choice.”

   “Not about that! Not about that! I mean, sorry for troubling you.”

   “Would you quit with that, your struggles are never worth an apology. Especially to me.” Grian closed in on Mumbo once more and hugged Mumbo tightly, another kiss to his forehead.

   Mumbo put up no further resistance and leaned on Grian for the majority of the way to their bedroom. Down the hallway, up the stairs, though the door.

   Mumbo in his pajama pants and Grian leading him under the covers, Mumbo offered a new question. “How did you know, Grian?”

   “Hm? Know what?”

   “How did you know I needed help?”

   “Wasn’t it obvious?”

   “I mean how you knew to come downstairs to me.”

   “Oh, I didn’t know that. I just—“ Grian stopped himself, now fitted under the blankets and Mumbo snuggling closer and closer into Grian’s chest. “I well, um.”

   Mumbo raised his head, looking up to try and find Grian’s eyes this time. Mumbo expected a concrete answer.

   With Grian’s absence of a response, Mumbo smirked. “If I didn’t know you better, I’d say you missed me?”

   “Oh shut up.”