#hetmitcraft

But maybe now… Maybe this was their time to continue where they had left off. Unlike last time where they had been on opposing teams they could work together and share those soft nights again. They had almost kissed so many times… or at least Grian thought that was what had happened.

One thing was certain though, Scar would never turn him away. With the others he couldn‘t be this sure. They had already formed alliances, and even with those on their own Grian was afraid they might decide to turn him down. And he didn’t want to face that sort of rejection right now. He opened the door, smiling at Scar. “Scar?”, he called out in a sing-song voice and he heard hurried steps right away and a second later Scar was standing in the doorway, smiling brightly at him. And seeing that blinding smile made him forget all about his plan on pretending he had to sing, so lost in those deep emerald eyes.

“Hey there.”

"Hey, Grian."

There was a moment of silence between them as they just looked at one another over the small wooden counter. And it was the most comfortable silence there could be between two people. They were just too relaxed around one another to get awkward silences between them. Him and Scar just clicked from the second they had met one another.

“So”, Grian started, looking down at the counter and then up at Scar again, tilting his head slightly to the side in a way that he had been told looked quite adorable and he knew from the way the corner of Scar’s mouth twitched upwards that he thought so as well. “How have you been doing? I heard you have settled here all alone so far.”

Scar nodded in confirmation looking around the small hut that barely seemed big enough for him. “I have been rather busy so far. It is very different from the last few times, but I do enjoy the changed pace. It feels less dangerous and more fun at the moment. And I’m not the first at yellow, that’s always a bonus. Maybe I‘ll actually win the game of life this time.”

He laughed at his own joke and Grian couldn’t help it but laugh along as it was just too infectious. “I know what you mean. I have been meaning to build something nice. You know. Something iconic like our desert home.”

They both shared a look full of emotion and it was as if he could see their memories reflected in Scar’s eyes. 

“But oh well. So far I’ve burned down two of those… ‘bases’ I’ve begun building. My mind is just too occupied with the tasks and having fun with everyone else to even think about doing some more elaborate building than a wooden egg.”

“I mean… uh… It was a pretty egg?”

Grian giggled, lightly hitting Scar’s shoulder over the counter. “Oh hush. It was not and we both know it. It was the weirdest thing I’ve done in all of our Life Games. And that’s okay. I’M enjoying the building break. My base back home drives me crazy enough with everyone getting on my case about the back.”

“I mean… The pestering did wonders to the back of your base. I quite like your backside.” It should have been an innocent comment about his base, but the tone in which Scar said the last sentence, his voice lowering ever so slightly, becoming more rumbly. It was quite clear it was not the backside of Grian’s base he was talking about, but another backside belonging to Grian.

He decided not to humour his friend, pretending not to have noticed the double entendre. 

“Anyways. I’ve come here with a question. A favour really”, Grian said. He was smiling hopefully up at Scar. But as he did he saw the smile slowly fade from Scar’s face.

“A- A favour you say? Maybe now’s not a good time to do that. I feel like I couldn’t be of any help right now. And I really need to get my task started. Yep. I really need to focus on that. No time right now. I mean tonight would be good, yeah? After we handed in our tasks. After I got my hearts, yeah?”

Grian frowned. It was unlike Scar to not even ask or be curious about what Grian had to ask. Him so blatantly trying to gently let Grian down was weird.

“Oh, don’t worry. I won’t take much of your time. I just need a quick answer.” Grian looked down again and he felt his heartbeat quicken a little. He took a deep breath and then smiled. “I know I might have not given this impression in the past… But I really did enjoy the time we spent together as soulmates. And we make such a good team-”

“Grian. Whatever you want to say, please-”

But Grian wouldn’t stop now. If he stopped now he just knew he wouldn't dare to ask again in fear of being turned down. “Scar, do you want to team up with me?”

He gazed up again, expecting to see Scar’s face light up or see his cheeks blush, just like back then, when Grian had told him they were soulmates. Maybe this would be the perfect moment for their first kiss to seal that deal of them becoming a team once again. Three times was the charm after all is what they said. And it had all started with three lives as well.

But the moment he saw Scar’s face, his heart sank. Scar looked… Sad. Almost heart broken and Grian really had no clue what he might have said that deserved such a look.

And for the first time between them a silence felt uncomfortable.

“Scar? Say something please. Talk to me.”

Scar’s face fell even more, a look of guilt and regret washing over his features as he simply turned around, walking to the backdoor without a single word being spoken.

“Scar! Don’t leave!”

He could hear something that sounded like an annoyed whine and the steps got even more distant as the backdoor opened and Scar just walked out of the little hut.

Grian felt frozen for a moment. Did Scar hate being on a team with him that much? It was true that Grian had gotten him killed through their soulmate bond. But he had apologised many times and Scar had to assure him constantly that it didn’t matter a bit. Had that maybe just been Scar being nice and not wanting to hurt his feelings? But how could he turn around then and just walk away. A simple explanation that he wanted to work alone or team up with someone else would have hurt, sure,  but it would have been easier to accept than this cold shoulder.

Grian hesitated another moment, but then he decided to act, rushing out the backdoor after Scar, who hadn’t really gotten that far yet, walking at a very slow pace, so he was quickly closing the gap between them. “Scar stop! Just tell me what’s going on? Is this your task? Do you have to run away? Or do you just hate me? Tell me!”

Scar only let out another frustrated sound as he kept walking.

And it stung so badly to not even be acknowledged by the man he had grown to love so deeply and who he had thought loved him just as much. He felt a whirlwind of emotion hit him all at once. Hurt, betrayal, pain, anger.

When he finally caught up to Scar he grabbed his arm and spun him around. “Fine! Run away! Don’t talk to me anymore! If that makes you happy!”

Scar’s eyes widened and he put his hands on Grian’s shoulders. “No! Grian! You don’t understand. I- This is difficult. I’m so sorry.”

“You’re hurting me, Scar”, Grian admitted and he hated how small his voice sounded. How vulnerable and full of emotion it felt.

“I know. And I’m sorry. But we really should not be having this conversation now. It’s not a good time. I can’t-”

“I love you!”

Grian didn’t know why he had said that. It was dumb. Scar clearly was in a weird headspace and didn’t want to be close to him. He should have obliged, but the words had just come straight from his aching heart.

Scar seemed surprised, taken aback even, his eyes opening wide, his mouth opening a few times as his brain must have been catching up with what Grian had just said. Sure, they had been getting closer and closer, but they hadn’t even been dating yet and Grian had already dropped the big L.

He lightened his grip on Scar’s arm, letting his hand drift down slowly to grab a gentle hold of Scar’s fingers. “I know you feel the same, don’t you? Please tell me you do.”

And again Scar’s face fell. He went through a myriad of emotions, his features changing so quickly it was hard for Grian to get a good read on him. Though when the whirlwind stopped, the emotion Scar apparently decided on was determination. “Wait a moment”, Scar simply said and started walking away again. Grian looked at him in confusion for a moment, but then walked after him. When he was next to Scar he opened his mouth to say something, but Scar glanced at him, holding up a finger to his own lips and the unusually serious look he had made Grian want to obey the unspoken order.

Though he didn’t wait, silently walking after Scar, watching him in confusion, still feeling a slight pang of hurt. He didn’t even know aht was going on. Sure, they all behaved strange on this server due to their secret tasks. But those tasks were mostly funny and didn’t involve emotionally hurting one another. He wanted to keep asking. He wanted Scar to say something. Say anything. To not leave him hanging like that, his feelings out in the open.

But he didn’t ask.

He just followed Scar, soon realising they were going in the direction of the rock formation of the secret keeper. Had Scar just managed to succeed in his task? But why would he? Surely there was no task that had you try and get a heartfelt love declaration from someone else. That just seemed far too cruel even for otherworldly beings that used them as a form of entertainment. 

“Scar…”, he started when they had almost reached the buttons, but Scar sharply turned around to look at him, vehemently shaking his head and making a shushing sound. And Scar had never shut him up as forcefully as that. Usually Scar blabbed out any plan he had. He had even told them his first task after all. 

When he was sure Grian wouldn’t keep talking he turned back around towards the buttons. Grian expected him to walk towards the button that indicated they had managed to finish their tasks. He didn’t. Instead he walked right up to the button in the middle - the one for the harder quests - and hit it. The rocks lit up around them, making a multitude of eerie noises and finally the red light lit up below Scar’s feet and an equally red glow seemed to surround him. And a moment later there was a brand new book in Scar’s hands. 

Scar heaved a sigh of relief and with a twist of his wrist that book disappeared into his inventory.

“You don’t even want to read it?”

Scar finally turned to him, smiling softly. “No. I don’t care right now. I just didn’t want to do the other task anymore.”

“What was your task?”

“I- It would have broken your heart, Grian. I had to disregard anything you said. Do you know how painful that was?”, Scar asked, his voice shaking ever so slightly. He stepped up to Grian, putting a gentle hand on his cheek. “Do you know how happy I was when you asked me to team up? I thought we’d never team up like that again. It was never by choice anyways. Not even becoming soulmates. And now some magical taskmaster wanted to deny me a shot with you… I just couldn’t…”

Grian leaned into the touch, looking up at Scar with bated breath. “Then… You changed that task because of what I said?”

Scar’s smile only got brighter and he nodded eagerly. “Say it again, Grian. Please. I want to be able to answer this time. I want to be able to have this moment and not have it taken away by anyone.”

Grian swallowed, now slightly nervous. It had been a spur of the moment thing earlier. To be put in the spotlight like this now made him so unsure about his words. “But what about your new task? What if you’re failing it by doing something you shouldn’t be doing?”

Scar shook his head. “If my task would hurt you again I would fail it anyways. No need to read it. Now say it please.”

Grian cleared his throat, giggling nervously. “You want to team up with me?”, he said in a joking tone, both of them very much aware that hadn’t been the thing that Scar wanted him to repeat. But Scar humoured him, not calling him out right away and it helped him calm down. “Of course. I’d love nothing more than that. Teaming up with you makes me happier than anything else does.”

They both smiled silently at one another and as Scar put his other hand on Grian’s other cheek, he finally felt brave enough to repeat those words. He didn’t have a reason to be nervous after all. It was pretty obvious by now what the answer would be. There was no doubt about their feelings. There should have never been any doubt in the first place.

“I love you, Scar. I’ve loved you through all my lives, ever since I met you. I loved you as the charming boy next door. I loved you during our little war. I loved you in those desert nights below the starry sky. I loved you in that ridiculous fancy hat of yours. I loved you every moment I heard your heart beat alongside mine and love you now and in every future world.”

Scar listened to him silently, his smile becoming even softer as his eyes filled with adoration and love. And when Grian finished instead of answering he pressed his lips gently against Grian’s. And it was perfect. Scar’s body was warm against his. He could feel Scar’s shaven beard scratching lightly against his chin, a stark comparison to those unbelievably soft lips and hands that were slowly caressing him. And he in turn put his arms around Scar’s body, pulling them closer together.

Grian didn’t know how long they stayed in their embrace, lips moving against one another, breathing in each other’s scent. When they moved apart both of them smiled and they were so close he could see his own reflection in Scar’s eyes.