#wormexhels

But, like I said, he isn’t dumb. He knows WHY they’re villains, too. The world is cruel. They don’t have enough food or money to get by. Sometimes….sometimes you gotta break the law a bit to survive. It’s how it works. He knows this.

So when he’s out, being a superhero, he pays them no mind. Purposely making mistakes so they can get away with as much as they can. He tries to keep other heros from attacking them. This doesn’t mean he doesn’t fight other villains - there are some that are legitimate dangers. He doesn’t spare them.

He keeps quiet. If the government knew about his observation skills - hell, if any part of the hero organization knew about his observation skills - he’d be in some of the highest ranks. He doesn’t want that. Too much monitoring, he’d be forced to tell the truth. Lay low. Keep quiet. If he puts of a façade of mediocrity, a hero who’s only average, he keeps most freedoms.

It’s a fair price to pay, in his mind.

It's easy to pretend, he's discovered. In the heroes' eyes he's gullible, naïve and optimistic. Another hero blinded by the desire to do good. They aren't wrong - that's what Wormman wants to do! He loves making people happier and being able to help out where he can. But doing real, substantial good is rarely as easy as punching a bad guy in the face.

That's the part he pretends he doesn't know.

And it protects him from the villains, 'cause they have far more pressing issues than a superhero with stars in his eyes. It keeps him safe from his own boyfriends, as much as the thought pains him.

It's not easy, living life as a balancing act. But those evenings where all three of them are at home together... Ex dancing to a song in the kitchen as Wormman sings along, Hels rolling his eyes and ignoring them in favour of cooking.

they’ve learned how to deal with it, mostly. They can walk around, get stuff done, do the work that’s required of them.

Sure, it feels awful. But they have to. When you’re sick all the time people stop caring. People begin to believe it’s an excuse, that you can just work through it. So EX has taken that to heart. The helmet isn’t only decor, is it?

But, on a particularly bad day, their forced to stay home. Sniffling and ill, bucket by their side, hot and sweaty. What’s even worse - they had a date planned with Hels and Wormman.

The two decided to come over instead, caring for EX until they got “100% better.”

What broke their heart is that they never will be.

They know, eventually, they'll have to explain it. The fact they won't get better. Wormman and Hels will always be looking after them and is that really what they want from a relationship?

Except... EX starts noticing things.

The two start planning less intense dates, often nearer to EX's house, or arranging lifts for them. They spend more time at EX's house. Wormman seems to enjoy cooking for them, whilst they've noticed Hels cleaning when he thinks EX isn't looking.

His boyfriends have always been caring - it's part of why EX fell so hard after swearing off love. But this... This feels accommodating. It's trying to include EX, even on his bad days.

Hels tells him, eventually, that Xisuma was the one who told them. Gave the pair a right shovel talk about treating EX right. Hels apologises (in his own way) if they ever pushed EX too far before.

EX shakes his head. Wormman is sleeping across their laps, a dumb movie is playing and they had a lot of good take out. This is perfect.

It's important to find a balance, because too much touch can be overwhelming. Worm doesn't find it easy to restrain himself from climbing all over Hels, but he tries.

It's a great time, especially now that most Hels have chillaxed and are now more in the business of general annoyance than malicious intent.

It's especially fun seeing how different the relationships are. For instance, Ex, Hels (the guy) and Worm are Very Close, and while xisuma thinks Wels and Zed are pretty cool, they aren't all that close.

It's also fun meeting the family. For a long time Bdubs thought that Patho was Etho's counterpart, which is incorrect. Patho is Etho's brother, 404 is Etho's counterpart. 404 thought this was very funny, expressing its amusement in the unsettling, empty way it does most things. The whole lot of them won't let him live it down.

With the server so overrun with people, there are many festivities, including but not limited to Cleo's (zombie and human) terrifying hedge maze of horrors, a special Halloween decked out phase where hermits and hels alike replace the ravagers and wardens and hunt down the unfortunate runners themselves, and of course a massive pile of fallen leaves to run around in.

It's great enrichment, and at the end of the month, when hermicraft is starting to struggle to keep up with the chaos of way too many players and it's time for the Hels to go home, joe sets up a massive projector screen.

Everyone gathers in whatever field chosen and huddles close to their chosen partners or friends to watch some movies before it's time to say goodbye.

Tfc even comes up from the mines to hang out, he's the only one everyone trusts to pick the movies.

-s (i fell asleep halfway through this)

The groups have learnt to work together well, despite their differences. As much as they kick up a fuss, the Helsmits are hard workers with a bit of direction! They make sure there's a list of tasks, so they can pick something and get started. There's so much to do, the hermits are never able to finish it all in time.

They're also given controlled zones to cause chaos in. Truthfully, the hermits use it more than the Helsmits do. There's just too much fun in blowing things up.

Worm knew all the lore and would point out references

EX didn’t have a clue what was going on

And Hels was simping for Josh Hutcherson

All of them, somehow, came away from the movie with completely different impressions of it. Worm spends the entire trip home talking about animatronics, alongside the lore of the series. EX is planning to never see an animatronic again.

Ever since he was young, Worm had been interested in fairies. He used to sit in the garden, playing with the insects (it's how he got the nickname 'Worm'. It was meant as an insult, but he takes it as a badge of pride.) Whilst there, he'd imagine the fairies hiding around him. Up in the branches of trees or picking berries from bushes.

He wasn't much older when he started leaving out gifts for them - a habit he carried into his adulthood. It was one of his priorities when moving into his first apartment, he found the window facing the most green and set up his fairy gifting spot. It's important to make a good first impression!

Despite all that, he never expected to actually meet some. Two Fae of the unseelie court, delighted to find somebody giving them sweets. Ex and Hels drove out the previous tenant after he destroyed their rose bush. Then this one gives them sweets?

Hels and Worm don't know why they were scared to bring up their instincts for so long. It turns out their ideal nest or burrow is very similar.

Hels, being an owl hybrid, likes somewhere protected. A small entrance, lots of fluffy pillows and dim light. It doesn't have to be too big, just perfect for the three of them.

Worm, following his name, also enjoys darkness. He enjoys the pillows too, finding it similar to the movement of dirt. The close proximity is perfect too. Being squashed in like this makes him feel safe, especially when it's between his lovers.

Ex, never one to be left out, jokes that it fits his species perfectly as well. A gamer.