#deckedoutcomic

Docs face scrunches up like an annoyed cat, knowing they need to get up. With gentle eyes he lightly brushes his fingers over the soft feathers that belong to Grian. The only reponse he got was a groggy squeek.

"Grian. We better get up soon, you dont want to leave Mumbo waiting."

Doc had made plans with Mumbo and Iskall to meet up in front of the Townhall by morning so they couldn't sleep in this time.

The creeper hybrid sighed and lightly poked Grian as a Plan B, which earned him a jab and an annoyed Tiny that is sitting up now, still covered by green fingers.

"Alright alright... let's get ready then."

by the time they left Docs base, Grian had developed a certain nervousness to him. he was skittish and unsure with every step Doc took away from the safe confines of their overnight shared home.

"Doc... you're gonna be with me right?"

The Avian stammered. sitting on Docs shoulders as they headed through the nether path ways.

Doc replied with utmost calmness.

"I will, I'll be right behind you. but remember. 'You' gotta do the talking part."

Grian unfolded his wings and flutters into Docs now open palm.

"Of course!"

Docs chuckling echoed through the tunnels as they soon arrived at the Netherportal they were heading to. And with one last breath Grian felt Doc move through it, teleporting them to a fresh breeze of overworld air.

The morning sun partly illuminated the path in front of them. dots of shiny light rays littered the floor.

There, a bit further ahead was Mumbo and Iskall, both facing the opposite direction of the impressive Town hall.

Docs mellow expression turned into a frown when he looked down at the tiny bird in his hands who is now clutching his little heart, scrunching up the fabrik of his red sweater he was wearing. The Shifter suddenly felt a strong desire to protect and reassure him.

His expression turned relaxed again in order to not show his concern.

"Hey, it'll be alright. it's just our clumsy Mumbo afterall."

His big fingers brushing circles into the tinies' back. He felt Grian relax, even just a little bit.

"I know.. it's just Mumbo."

And with that he took to the skies and started flying towards the moustached man and his friend.

It didnt take long for him to land right behind them. They seemed to tower above him, making this mission far more expreme than he initially thought. But setting his stupid primal fears aside, he opted to open his mouth with a short "uhm, Mumbo?"

He felt his heart do a leap of adrenaline when both of his supposed best friends turned around. They first looked around but soon locked eyes onto him on the ground in front of them.

For Mumbo, Grian seemed to be miles away, so fragile, so out in the open so... small. He had to fight every fiber of his being to not scoop him up and protect him from the harsh reality of the world.

And for Grian it took every cell in his body to not step back out of instinct.

His confidence in self control crashed though, when Mumbo kneeled down, speaking an unsure "Grian," ultimately making the smaller flinch and step back an inch or two.

"O-oh sorry, my bad-"

Mumbo immediately apologized. The bird Tiny could only focus on his raven haired friend now, he knew Iskall was still there but his view was filled with just Mumbo now.

Trying his hardest, he swallowed his unnecessary shock with a shaky,

"It's a-alright,"

A short but painful silence was broken when both of them stammered eachothers names at the same time.

"M-Mumbo,"

"Grian,"

"Oh, Sorry,"

"Sorry-"

They chuckle at eachother from the shear absurdity of their predicament.

The nervous laughs died down when Grian held up his hand to indicate he'd start talking and Mumbo let him.

"Listen Mumbo,"

the air around them has softened considerably,

"I wanna apologize for what I did yesterday. I might have overreacted a little bit,"

Mumbo interjected, his face filled with an expression of regret and guilt.

"I..might have overreacted aswell, I... shouldnt've done the thing I did. I don't wanna blame it on anything else but I sure got a lot of work to do when it comes to respecting boundaries don't I?" Both of them smile at eachother, "-besides I feel like I deserve this in particular."

Mumbo held his left hand out in front of them, showing off the two bandaids around his fingers Grian sliced to get free.

"Oh yeah.. that part, I- I’m sorry.."

Grian looks guiltily away, holding his other arm protectively.

Mumbo sighed with a smile, making Grians hair flow in the wind created by it and making the smaller look back up at him.

"It was my fault to begin with, Grian. I'll work on my pants behavior.. which is pants, let's not deny that here."

They chuckle again at Mumbo's use of words.

The winged hermit suddenly stops as Mumbo continued his soft fit of chuckles. All the fear he had from the day before vanished. This was Mumbo through and through. His best friend. He wondered why he never understood it sooner. He felt anger and regret and happiness seep through him for a second before landing on an emotion he couldn't even name.

With one leap he hugged the Redstone genius' nose, who's hands immediately came up to hold his tiny friend in place.

"I forgive you, you big lug, I didn't mean to hurt you. And I promise I'll be more careful too."

Mumbo knew and just pressed Grian closer. "It's all water under the ol' bridge now, little guy."

Iskall and Doc are now standing next to eachother. Both of them locked eyes with a smile of relief.

Their mending was cut short though, when a voice came from behind them.

"Are we intruding on someyhing here?"

Everyone looked to the way the voice was coming from, Grian still in Mumbo's hands and held close.

It was their leader Xisuma who was covering something in his hands.

"X?" Mumbo asked quizzically but he was ignored when Xisuma spotted Grian.

"Ah~ Grian! youre just the hermit I was looking for."

He said in his chipper accent while holding out his intriguing gloved hands. One creating a temporary wall in front of the other.

"I've got someone you might wanna see again..."

And with that he reaveals...