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chobblesomewrites · 5 months ago

Note

I too sent my ask to the wrong place so insert drabble request herd

"You're... Lady Aphrodite?" Grian's eyes flicker from the goddess' face to her toes, repeating this action over and over as if to commit this appearance of hers to memory. Though it seemed difficult to actually gauge what her true appearance was as he couldn't help but see Pearl and his mom separately but also at the same time.

Some weird appearance magic, most likely. Not unusual for the goddess of beauty, Grian thinks.

Aphrodite could probably see the confusion through his wary expression, her grin widening playfully while her eyes squinted in interest, "That I am, little sweet thing," she replied as she fixed herself on the little loveseat she made comfortable on that Grian could've sworn wasn't available in the hotel room last time he was awake.

Mumbo looked equally confused about the appearance of the seat, but even more confused regarding the appearance of the goddess.

Actually, he seemed more nervous than confused, Grian observed. The taller demigod was red in the face and seemed to have a difficult time looking at Aphrodite at all. The child of Hermes shot a look at his best friend, but he avoided eye contact.

This is actually the most nervous Mumbo Grian has ever seen, and they've been through a lot of nervewracking situations together.

They were mid-retrieval quest. An unofficial one actually. No one in the camp took the mysterious disappearance of Grian and Mumbo's little Grumbot seriously so no official search party was given.

'Just make another one.' Yeah, right. Try asking two parents who had lost their kid the same thing.

So they did whatever smart demigod would do: disappear from the camp from long hours of time while avoiding any iris messages to find Grumbot themselves.

"I heard you were in... a bit of a pickle. A little trouble, hm?" Aphrodite broke through Grian's little internal rant (one he's been surprisingly doing often these days). He focused his eyes back on the Pearl-Mom fusion.

He pursed his lips in hesitation, "Not really. Even if you had a way to help us find Grumbot, we don't need it," he lied. Honestly, they've spent most of their week wandering around all the three realms to see where Grumbot has been, having not found any leads at all so the rest of the days were spent hopping from hotel to hotel room as they went through their small evidence of suspected Grumbot locations.

Or rather, they kept arguing over and over again as Grian was stubborn with continuing their travel while Mumbo was stubborn about going home as his anxiety genuinely cannot take anymore monster encounters.

Of course, none of this was unknown to the goddess, rolling her eyes at Grian's attempts at lying to a divine being of all people, "Don't worry, son of Hermes. I wasn't going to help you with that part anyway," she pushed herself off her seat and went on over to the pair. Somehow she made even such a simple thing look graceful.

It made Grian shiver. Even more when Aphrodite placed herself behind in-between them, a supposedly encouraging hand on their shoulders as she made a friendly gesture of pushing them together.

Grian doesn't know if that was him shaking or if he was imagining it. He wasn't that afraid of gods, was he?

He then looked down and only now noticed that Mumbo's shivering hands were squeezing his wrist like crazy. Grian had half the mind to scrunch up painfully from how hard he was gripping, shimmying his wrist out so he could hold Mumbo's hand properly and squeeze back in hopes to comfort him.

It didn't work, considering that Mumbo went even more red and had now squeezed his eyes shut. Grian rolled his eyes and glared up at Aphrodite who was watching on with mirth.

"You're making him nervous."

Aphrodite tilted her head and batted her eyelashes innocently, "Why, is it me that's doing that or is it you?"

Grian fought back a scowl. This is why he didn't like interacting with Aphrodite, always taking on a teasing tone like she knew something he didn't. They then end up talking in circles and circles because she has all the time in the world to lead people on however she likes.

Damn gods.

"What do you want, Aphrodite?" The child of Hermes urged for an answer, tugging Mumbo away from the goddess as he regarded her with annoyance. Not that she took any offense, his annoyance served to amuse her even more.

"Don't give me that, dove. You need me, you know?"

"I don't quite remember a situation where we need the goddess of love and beauty at all."

Grian felt a tug on his hand and he looked up to find that Mumbo had opened his eyes back up to silently plead him to stop his disrespectful tone.

Which, he would've followed otherwise, but he's already exhausted his small bar of patience to this sneak out quest, so he decided to ignore his best friend.

Aphrodite giggled at their little small exchange and leaned over to coo at them, "Clearly you do!" She tapped the two's joined hands. Grian felt himself redden for some reason but kept a terrible stern face.

"Small demigod, I would have thought your camp taught you the importance of getting along with your questmates, especially at such a dangerous time."

Grian had half the mind to take note of how many times Aphrodite has called him 'small' and 'little' and half the mind to tug Mumbo closer to his side defensively, "We get along just fine. Isn't that right, Mumbo?"

Mumbo somehow had the audacity to hesitate before answering, "U-uh, yeah. Somewhat..."

Grian's jaw dropped and he snapped his head to look at Mumbo inquiringly, "What the Hades is that answer?"

"Well, it's- you know! It's been a tough few days!" Mumbo squeaked out.

The child of Hermes furrowed his eyebrows together and looked away with a pout, taking a lot of offense with how Mumbo was wording how they were doing as a pair.

It's not like Grian was treating him too badly. Mumbo was annoying too!

The two looked away from each other and went quiet, leaving room for Aphrodite to laugh at their small banter, "Mumbo, dear, you really have the audacity to be saying those things while you were openly adoring the form you've made of me?"

Mumbo made a noise of embarrassment in the back of his throat in response. His shoulders hiked up to his ears like he was trying to hide away like a turtle, except he disappointedly does not have a shell to hide away in. On the other hand, this reaction and Aphrodite's gentle scolding made Grian much more confused.

He was frustrated and he didn't know to what. Either because Aphrodite, and apparently even Mumbo, knew something he didn't or because Aphrodite was overwhelming his best friend.

Despite Grian's current feelings on Mumbo after multiple arguments, it didn't really feel right to not defend him from whatever's going on, "What are you trying to get at, lady?"

Aphrodite flashed a pointed glare at Grian but was quick to get past the continous disrespect in favor of embarrassing Mumbo even further.

"I'm sure you already know, if you listened to that son of Athena. My appearance is an entirely unique experience to each person."

She took place behind the tall demigod, her hands on Mumbo's shoulders, and maneuvered him with her as she forced the demigod to be face to face with Grian, "Tell me first, Grian dear. What do you see me as?"

"...Like both my sister and my mom at the same time?"

"Extremely sweet of you," Aphrodite smiled slightly, "Now how about you ask Mumbo here what he sees me as?"

The son of Hermes looks towards Mumbo, who couldn't even hold his eyes as he had shutted them in embarrassment again. Grian suddenly felt impatient and he reached out to hold Mumbo's hand to tug at it to get his attention.

It didn't seem to help, and it made Mumbo look like he was about to actually melt into a puddle.

"Mumbo, how do you see her?" Grian asks, wanting to just get this over with. He would've been patient with his best friend if this were a normal situation, but the presence of Aphrodite was not one his mental couldn't really welcome for a long while.

However, Mumbo didn't answer, ending up stammering literally every vowel out without actually saying anything.

Grian groaned impatiently, "It's really not that hard!"

"It is much harder than you actually think it is!" Mumbo squeaked out in defense.

"Just say it!"

"No! You'll make fun of me!"

"Why are you being so-!"

Aphrodite cut them off with a loud click of her tongue, tutting disappointedly at the wondrous display of 'friendship'.

"See? This is why I told you two you needed me."

Grian yells heatedly, "I told you we get along fine! This is just-"

The goddess ignored him as she cooed at Mumbo, ruffling his hair in false pretense of adoration, "Don't worry, darling Mumbo! Your step mother will help you since you've been such a behaved boy!"

"Since when did you consider yourself my mom?" Mumbo squawked in confusion, making a face mixed between disgust and bafflement as she watched Aphrodite grip at both of his and Grian's joined hands, "And wait, what are you planning on doing-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence, suddenly caught off guard with how his hand suddenly felt so numb. Grian were better at keeping his expression at bay while Mumbo instinctively tried to tug his hand back.

... But he couldn't?

"My job here is done!" Aphrodite announces with a clap, turning around to leave the hotel room.

Grian didn't seem to catch onto what happened, turning to watch the goddess leave with his jaw agape, "But you didn't do anything?!" He screeched, "Come back here! What did you do!?"

The demigod tried to go after her, doubtful of the fact that she was leaving without doing anything, but he found himself tugged back into place by Mumbo.

Grian tried to tug his hand back, "Mumbo, what are you doing? Let go!"

"I can't..." Mumbo mumbled fearfully.

"What do you mean you can't?"

The son of Hephaestus swallowed nervously and untangled his fingers from Grian, but whenever he tried to actually pull his hand away, his palm wouldn't let up.

He tried again and again to show the problem. Grian's face blanched.

"Oh for Olympus' sake..."

#Hermits and The Olympians #hermitshipping #trafficshipping #mumbo jumbo #grian #grumbo

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chobblesomewrites · 6 months ago

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Here's your (hopefully first) Writing prompt! How about showing what Cleo and Etho's "dating" period was like in HatO before the break-up (and civil war of Camp Hermitcraft)?

warning; this is a little ooc and awkward. ive forgotten how i wanted to write cletho

------

"Why am I here again..?" Etho finally had the courage to ask his partner after being forced out of the cabin by her to escort Scar all the way to the Big House. Neither of his 'kidnappers' told him the context of their little impromptu walk, but given that they were on the familiar trail to the Big House, Etho could only assume that he was being dragged to nothing good.

After all, his last rare visit to said place had him almost sacrificing his life for the world.

Cleo was leading ahead as Etho was pushing Scar, on her trail. Even when she spoke up to answer the child of Hades, they didn't look back as she kept on stomping on ahead like she was determined, "We're going to be gaslighting X to lighten Scar's punishment. Because I am not rescheduling this quest for another month- again!"

Etho slumped and he looked down at Scar the same time the other looked up at him with a sheepish smile. He sighed and focused his gaze on the back of Cleo's head, "And I'm here because...?" He repeated his question.

Cleo paused and squinted her eyes at her boyfriend, "Because we promised to be partners in crime til the end of time? Because of the big three kid privileges? Because you love me?" They answered him with a tone that seemed as if she couldn't believe the demigod would even question her at all.

"W-when did we promise that? When did being a Hades kid become a privilege- Last one is debatable, but luckily it tends to be true," Etho's amused chuckling seeped through his confused tone, had the confidence to joke around despite the look Cleo gave him.

"You promised since we got together. Also, the additional reason is that you have some sort of responsibility over Scar as well," Cleo added. Etho assumes that she just didn't want to defend or argue about the last two points.

"Didn't they assign him to you?" Etho tilted his head.

"And by familial logic, he's also yours."

"Ah, I don't think that's how it works."

Cleo furrowed her eyebrows and frowned, walking back to debate with Etho closer face to face, leaving poor Scar confused in the middle of the two taller demigods.

"He likes you more," Cleo argued.

Etho playfully ruffled Scar's hair by pushing against his hat, "Untrue actually. He hangs out with you more so that should say something--"

"Guys?"

The two older demigods stopped glaring at each other, snapping out of their argument to look down at the exasperated expression of Scar, "My parents already don't see each other- you don't have to give me the divorced parents experience again!"

Cleo and Etho shared a look with each other then broke into laughter.

"So which parent do you like more?"

"No! Stop!"

They continued on with their way to the Big House. Although this time, Cleo matched the other two's pace enough to only bring hell to Scar. This couple seriously finds their shared entertainment in torment.

#Hermits and The Olympians #cletho #zombiecleo #ethoslab #hermitshipping #trafficshipping #hato cleo #hato etho #hato scar

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chobblesomewrites · 6 months ago

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Mmmm for drabble submissions; maybe CAU!Zedango?

Tango doesn't often have a good sleep schedule. But when he does get a good sleep one of these days, even those are eventually broken for all the different reasons.

Most of those reasons include his roommate.

It was past 10 PM when Tango decided to hit the hay earlier than his usual 2 AM, having decided that he would, for once, prefer sleep over his current course project. He was just about as well rested as Sleeping Beauty when loud clanking and loud metal rang out from their kitchen.

Now usually, people would assume that their house had been broken into when they hear those noises at 3 in the damn morning, but seeing as the side of the bed that Zed would usually sneak into was empty, Tango doesn't even have the possiblity of a break in in his head anymore.

Stretching his body out and yawning the rest of his drowsiness out, he got out of bed and sluggishly made his way to the kitchen, only paying enough attention to pet his cat that meowed at him like he was trying to snitch at his roommate that continued to make noise in the kitchen.

Tango squinted his eyes at the lights as he entered reached the threshold of the kitchen, his red eyes immediately zoning in on the familiar fluffy hair just barely peeking out from the counters.

The kitchen was a mess, not in the way that it would usually be. Instead of the usual scatter of flour, sugar, and everything nice, there were... tools and bits of metal all over the floor.

Tango leads himself further in to the kitchen, leaning on the counter as he grinned amusingly at the sight of Zed's hunched over figure, trying to fiddle with what was left of the toaster.

At least, Tango assumes it's the toaster since he couldn't see it where they usually placed it.

"What did our toaster do to you?"

Zed's shoulders jumped in surprise and he looked up from his mess of an impulsive project as he regarded the very sleepy looking Tango with a big smile, "Good morning! Just doing some modifications to it."

Tango watched as his roommate proudly showed the remains of their now murdered toaster. His eye twitched at the possible consequences of this, but he didn't have the energy to actually care anymore, going over to slide himself next to Zed on the floor.

"I could've sworn I was the one in mechanical engineering and not you," he teased, earning a laugh from the other.

"God forbid a man has hobbies!"

The engineering student sighed endearingly and started fiddling with the screws that were piled up on the side, "What modifications were you trying to aim for anyway?"

"Trying to make it silent!"

"For?"

"'Cause I know the sound of the toaster would usually wake you up."

Tango ruffled Zed's hair scoldingly, "I'm usually awake anyway! And normally, you shouldn't be making breakfast as early as..." He checks the wall clock, "3:34 AM."

Zed puffs out his chest proudly, "I was just trying to make some breakfast for my beautiful roomie!"

"Breakfast prep for a bowl of cereal shouldn't start this early, Zed." Tango nudged his roommate while said roommate huffed, only slightly offended by Tango's comment.

"It would be since I got distracted this easily," Zed gestured to the scattered parts of what was once a toaster, "...Honestly, I think I'm about to turn it into a bomb at this rate!"

Tango stood up and dusted his bottom off, "I think that's a sign that you need sleep, mister." The declaration got a small 'aww' from Zed.

"I'll get you a bomb fixed and ready later when the sun is up," Tango tried to negotiate.

"Not this hour?"

"Not this hour."

They two roommates shared a look and the staring took longer than it should that Tango was forced to drag Zed by his armpits out of the kitchen and back to Tango's bedroom.

"Noooo, I'm being kidnapped-"

"You live here!"

---

"Zed."

"Yeap?"

"I don't think we have enough to replace the toaster."

"Our rent wasn't enough to cover for our lack of braincells either, so this should've been expected!"

Tango sighed through his tired chuckles, "I guess I'll just toast it on the pan like before."

Zed grinned and curled in against the other's chest, trying to act coy, "I want grilled cheese for breakfast."

"Making demands even after you destroyed our toaster?"

"You won't cook it?"

"No, but I'll still make you it!"

"What does that mean?"

"You'll have to make do with two pieces of cold bread and an equally cold block of cheese."

"Oohh, I do love me some jawline exercises"

"Oh god, don't say that-"

The two roommates' giggles rang out in the dark room.

#Not canon to the College AU blogs.#hermitshipping #zedango

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chobblesomewrites · 6 months ago

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oh i sent an ask on your other account cause i read a post if yours wrong but can you pretend i sent it here

"You fitting in nicely, little Gemstone?"

Gem snaps her eyes open and brings her head up from the pile of pillows she's been laying on, blinking her tiredness away to find Skizz looking over at her with a endeared smile. Impulse was just right behind him, already made a spot for himself on the piles of pillows over the carpet Xisuma sewed for her.

She sits up properly and ruffles her own curls as she greets the two, "Hi you guys. You didn't tell me you were visiting," she grumbled, causing some worried looks from her visitors.

"Well, we weren't supposed to until the next day when you weren't busy still decorating the cave, but we couldn't wait to give you the--!" Skizz's excited ramble was then cut off by Impulse's loud 'ssshhh'.

"You'd be ruining the surprise, Skizz," he warned gently.

This caused Gem to straighten up and flash an inquiring look to the two, "Surprise?"

The duo shared a knowing smile but didn't answer Gem. Instead, Skizz went over and flopped himself next to the ginger haired girl, making himself comfortable as he stretched over the pillows, "Nevermind that- You're makin' it pretty comfy over here, Gem! Didn't know a cave could be this comfy!"

Gem poked at Skizz's side with a pout, "Hey, what surprise are you talking about?!"

It was then Impulse's turn to continue on the conversation like Gem wasn't overly confused right now, "The place looks great, Gem," he commended with a smile, "Looks like you had fun with it!"

Seeing as neither of them was gonna sate her curiosity, she continue to pout but relented to the change of topic anyway, "It looks okay." She brought her knees to herself as her gaze flickered all over her space, "It's comfy, but it feels.... non-homey. Empty?"

She looked doubtful. Honestly, this was what Gem had been mulling over even before Skizz and Impulse arrived here. She had just finished piling up a comfy corner on the carpet- which seems to do its job well considering the child of Apollo was rolling over it like an excited dog, but the cave still feels so lonely.

Gem didn't understand it either. She had the freedom to put everything she wanted in this cave, decorate it how she sees fit (an opportunity she often doesn't get at home) but it's not enough for her. She probably just wasn't used to having such a big space for herself.

Impulse examined her expression and held his chin in thought, "Empty, huh?" he repeated, now taking the time to look all over the cave as well. His thoughts were broken off by Skizz excitedly nudging his leg with his foot.

Impulse rolled his eyes fondly and gently swatted Skizz's foot away, earning a giggle. Gem smiled at this interaction both fondly and confusingly.

"Seriously, is anyone going to tell me what you're so excited about?" She seriously couldn't take it anymore.

"Oh, it's nothing-"

"More than nothing!" Skizz snickered. Impulse quickly realizes that he can't contain the excitement of even his own partner in this plan.

"I don't exactly know what the problem with your cave is, but how about this for a solution?" Suddenly, Impulse shifted so that he wasn't sitting infront of a box that had apparently been behind him this entire time.

The oracle perked up and crawled over as the child of Hermes pushed it towards her.

The box looked nothing too special. It just looked like a cardboard box they used to transport the jams the camps sold outside with the addition of horrible but adorable drawings of Gem all over it, possibly from more than one camper that's not her two visitors.

At least, judging with the way one of the drawings of Gem as a cat has 'Scra and Grain was hree!' written next to it. It looked like a box she'd receive from an overseas family that misses her except said family was literally a walk away.

She looks between Skizz, Impulse, and the box doubtfully, only encouraged to finally open it up by their expectant smiles.

Gem stumbled back in surprise as she was jumped at by some fluffy monster that jumped out of the box. She couldn't hold back a scream, which was followed by the Skizz and Impulse duo laughing at her reaction.

She pushed the big fluffy thing out of the way and finally got a good look at what she was 'attacked' by. What she expected to be a monster were... two plushies almost half her size.

Her green eyes stared into the beady ones of the shark before transferring to the clownfish one that was slightly smaller, jump off to the side.

"You idiots, I thought you gave me a monster! How did you even pack those things in such a small box?!" Gem yelled accusingly as she pushed the shark plushie off her. Skizz took the shark in his arms, flailing its fins with his hands.

"Awe, you'd call these little guys monsters?" the son of Apollo cooed, making the biggest puppy eyes as he puppeted the shark plushie to flail around sadly.

Gem rolled her eyes and looked over to Impulse for help, but even the son of Hermes had taken the clownfish one and puppeted it to make it seem alive, "Little Gem thinks we're scary, big shark!" Impulse said in a high pitched voice.

"Aw, how about we hug it out and show her how unscary we are, little clown?" Skizz replied with an equally high pitched voice before he leaned forward and started playfully smothering Gem with the shark, causing the oracle to squeak in surprise and exclaim in complaint. Though she eventually learned to giggle the more relentless Skizz was with his attacks.

"Ough, stop it!" she yelled in between giggles, tugging at the shark so that Skizz wouldn't have control over it anymore, "You guys treat me too much like a kid!"

Impulse tutted and shook his head, "Oh, no, no- Not us. Your new roommates, see?" he waved the little clownfish's fin and Gem couldn't help but groan.

"You guys are idiots," she mumbled as she squeezed at the face of the shark, finding herself a lot more relaxed the more she squeezed, "Why a shark and a clownfish anyway?"

Impulse shrugged, "We didn't know what you liked, but X told us you just liked aquatic stuff in general. I was the one that bought the shark."

Skizz had an actual answer, "Your hair reminded me of a clownfish!"

Gem frowned at Skizz's answer, looked down at her hair and pouted at the son of Apollo who then added cheekily, "Our little Nemo~"

Dramatic screaming and loud cackling rang out of the cave as Gem had accidentally started a pillow fight from trying to protest against her new nickname.

It wasn't that her cave was lacking decorations. She just needed memories to fill up the empty corners.

#Hermits and The Olympians #geminitay #impulsesv #skizzleman #hato gem #hato impulse #hato skizz

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chobblesomewrites · 7 months ago

Text

Grumbo Professional Esports AU (abandoned work)

A collection of drabbles/scenes rearranged in chronological order featuring Team Coach Mumbo x Pro Player Grian. Warning; makes use of League of Legends/MOBA Mechanics. Unrealistic depiction of the esports scene.

No, this will not be fully written or edited. Prepare for weird pacing and incoherence. I'M JUST POSTING THIS SO I CAN STOP BEING ASKED ABOUT IT </3

—————

[ READ BELOW ]

Mumbo wasn't one for competitive games, but he had made exceptions from time to time. Those times mostly due to his online best friend wanting to drag him to experience almost anything and everything with him.

He wouldn't have even dreamed of touching MOBA games if it weren't for Grian begging him to, excusing that no one else but Mumbo was actually willing to deal with his competitive nature. He had first refused, firmly wanting to stick to his farming simulator games, but Grian knew too well how to act like a brat to get what he wanted.

So he found himself on [ ]’s tutorial screen, anxiously going through it while Grian remained in the Discord call with him, giggling at every noise he made every time he jumped from the sight of an enemy NPC.

“You lied when you said this game had a farming mechanic,” Mumbo accused his friend with a whine as he spam clicked on a highlighted enemy minion, clicking his tongue when he missed the gold.

Grian cackled, “Well, killing minions for gold is called farming. So technically I wasn't lying?”

Mumbo let out an audible huff of betrayal, which made Grian laugh even more as he tried killing his character to the minions out of spite.

—

Mumbo had thought he wouldn't be playing the game as often, for the main reason he had the game at all was because Grian occasionally didn't have anyone to play with, as he said. But he had plenty of friends so Mumbo didn't feel the need to open the game as he would probably be the last person on Grian's friendlist to be asked.

But dear lord was he wrong.

After getting bullied for his lack of game knowledge for one night, Grian kept inviting him to duo queue every single day. Mumbo would've been led to believe that Grian actually didn't have friends except for him if it weren't for their friends occasionally coming by to 5 man queue with them. But even then, that led Mumbo questioning even more of Grian's motives to specifically invite him of all people, adding to the fact that Grian apparently hated playing ADC but specifically only played it when in duo queue with Mumbo.

It was confusing. So, so confusing. Mumbo was so pants at the game yet Grian just kept inviting him nonetheless!

So, Mumbo thought; if Grian wanted to play with him that badly, he'd have to adjust his mentality to make sure that his best friend was actually having fun. He wasn't just here to keep Grian company anymore, he was here to now help Grian actually enjoy his games.

On weekday nights Grian would be too busy to get online, Mumbo used his free time to get on custom and try out other heroes outside of just support. He specifically tried mid laners in hopes to give Grian more opportunities to play roles outside of ADC, trying to prove that Mumbo was more than capable of handling himself!

He learned the map, how to invade, how to dodge, how to properly farm– everything. He needed to learn everything.

If it was for Grian, he'll take on everything.

–

[ DEFEAT ]

“....”

The call was silent, save for Grian who did horribly to muffle his laughter. Mumbo groaned in embarrassment into his hands, “Midlaning is hard,” he admitted in a mumble, which caused Grian to outright laugh into his mic.

“You didn't have to force yourself to try.”

“But you like playing jungle.” Mumbo pouted.

“Not all the time! Who on earth even says they like playing jungle?”

Mumbo sighed as he clicked off the after-game stats, returning back to their party lobby to see Grian already waiting to start the queue. The man already set himself back to the ADC role and it made Mumbo slump even more in guilt over his desk.

By some magical force, Grian probably felt his bad mood and he reassured with a smile, “I still think it's more fun if we're laning together.”

“You get to spoil me and you'd only have eyes for me!” Grian teased.

Mumbo felt himself flush red at that. Not knowing how to quip back, he simply said, “Shut up.”

–

5 man queues are always fun. It means Mumbo could just turn off his brain and listen to his friends talk and trash talk without having to say much because there's enough of them to hold the conversation together.

Mumbo was about to fully zone out while watching Grian’s character farm freely in their lane when he heard him speak up about something in their team's idle conversation on call.

“You know, I actually plan to be a professional gamer.”

From whatever conversation the call was going through, everyone in their friend group broke into laughter at Grian's admittance. Mumbo could hear Grian's pout as he tried to defend his dream, “I'm serious here!”

Their friends laughed even more, “How plausible would that even be as a job? We're just teenagers, dude. Who would wanna sign kids like us?”

Their words were obviously just trying to tease Grian, but Grian didn't take it lightly. The ADC went quiet as the friends in call continued on about how ridiculous of a scene it would be if anyone of them were to actually turn out to be

Out of nowhere, Mumbo suddenly spoke up, “I think it's not impossible.”

The conversation paused and Mumbo suddenly felt conscious of the attention on his words. Nonetheless, he continued on, “I believe in you, if you are still going to try.”

“I'll try it with you.”

The call bursted into laughter again, even Grian couldn't help but giggle, which made Mumbo feel hot in the face from embarrassment. He spent the rest of the game making so many mistakes because the entire call kept teasing him for making such bold declarations.

He was able to live through 2 games of that until the other 3 friends in their team decided to log off, leaving him with Grian. Mumbo had thought that he would log off too, but he simply clicked the queue button without saying anything, leaving

2 minutes into the queue, Grian finally spoke up, “I'm holding you up to that promise, you know.”

“You better go professional with me.”

Mumbo wonders if he's gonna regret promising that, given how ominous Grian makes it sound as if he's sold his soul to the devil. But if the devil were Grian, he finds that he doesn't really mind missing a part of himself.

–

Ever since that promise, Grian had been relentless with playing with Mumbo. Not that he wasn't always relentless before, but Grian was now determined to actually help Mumbo catch up to his level. They've even started custom 1v1s in hopes to improve.

Other people, if they were in Mumbo's position, would've been annoyed. Given how Grian tends to get frustrated eventually, Mumbo just takes it as a sign to be better. He couldn't slack.

He knew that Grian wasn't specifically frustrated at his skills, he was frustrated and anxious of the possibility that Mumbo wouldn't be able to sign with him if he didn't improve. They needed to do it together, Grian was stubborn to make sure of that fact.

So Mumbo didn't fault him for he loved him.

–

“Are you signed to a team?”

An account that was obviously a smurf had privately messaged him one time after a solo queue game Mumbo played while waiting for Grian. He ignored it, assuming that it was a scammer pretending to be a professional. He even went to quickly unfriend the account with this thought in mind and sat in the party lobby for a few minutes before a friend request came in.

“Xvoid,” Mumbo murmured out. He frowned and leaned back on his chair in thought, wondering if he's seen that username before. Probably in his other games, but Mumbo doesn't really actively pay attention to the randoms he and Grian match up with.

It was when he was about to decline the friend request that Grian joined the lobby with a very loud, “Mumbo Dumbo Bumbo Jumbo!”

“Grian,” Mumbo returned the sentiment, sounding more exasperated than excited like Grian. His friend must've realized something from that tone difference as he immediately questioned, “What's up?”

“Someone messaged me about signing to a team and now I'm trying to remember who this XVoid person is.”

Grian made a noise of surprise, “XVoid? Xisuma?”

“Who?”

“The Captain of [ ]! I thought we watched enough live streams together to know this?”

“... Grian, I only know Etho in that team!”

Grian made a noise of offense and went off on a tangent about each and every member of the team that was not Etho, scolding Mumbo for being a ‘solo fan’. Mumbo ignored him, hovering his mouse over Xisuma's friend request.

If it is the captain of that team, Mumbo can only assume that this was probably just a fan account. It didn't hurt to accept it. He's had a lot of friends in his friend list that he decidedly ignored a lot anyway. He just accepts them for the sake of filling that friend list.

With that over with, Mumbo started the queue, still ignoring Grian who was scolding his ear off.

–

Mumbo should've known there was going to be more to the friend request than he realized. What he assumed was a fan account was actually just the professional player's sub account.

Xisuma's team had taken notice of Mumbo, and even personally invited him to be their main team's support rather than simply being a substitute. Mumbo was about to disagree at first, discussing with Grian that he still wanted to play professionally with him, but Grian didn't stall him. He simply said;

"Go," and Mumbo had thought Grian hated him for being noticed by a team until he added, "I'll catch up."

And they left it at that. Mumbo signed with Xisuma's team as their support player but didn't even get to react properly that his online best friend didn't message him at all anymore as he was forced to move to a team provided account, leaving his personal one to the dust.

–

Mumbo's esports career didn't last longer than four years, but it was a good start for a while. He didn't have any experience whatsoever but his team was kind enough to help him throughout. He also found that a lot of people seem to like his awkward attitude so he didn't feel the need to upkeep a certain persona.

But with the constant change of meta to aggressive supports, his steady gameplay had no use in any team comps. It didn't help that, at every tournament, he got sadder and sadder the more he realized he couldn't see a certain username anywhere in both domestic and international teams even after a while.

Grian wasn't there. The reason he was here at all, wasn't there.

He had been moved to a substitute player midway through his career, replaced with someone more younger and aggressive in playstyle, his other teammates had also either retired or moved to better teams. The team’s management was still fond of him and he was only really kept for the fans' sentiments, but Xisuma didn't want him to live the rest of his life as a decoration, noticing the way Mumbo didn't enjoy his current status. The team they were in contract with wasn't getting any better either. They weren't going anywhere like this. Their skills could be put to more use somewhere.

They couldn't accept the current state of things when they hadn't even won a single international championship to their name. Xisuma owed Mumbo at least a trophy for signing him up for the big leagues at such a young age that he could've used the time to explore more of his life.

He had offered Mumbo two things; Xisuma would pay so he could go back to college, or he could sign to Xisuma's budding esports company for a new chance.

As a coach, that is.

Mumbo had almost been tempted to say he would rather go back to studying, but Xisuma added more to his offer that he couldn't refuse; "You can choose the team. You'll be their main coach, after all."

Mumbo remembered that someone still promised to catch up, and he'd be willing to be a coach if it meant dragging him up here.

He promised. They promised they'd go together.

For the first time in a few years, Mumbo logged back in to his old account and clicked on a familiar user on his friend list.

"Grian,"

"You there?"

–

Mumbo wasn't confident for a while that Grian would reply back. It had been a good long while, after all. Would Grian even remember him? Mumbo's sure he himself hasn't forgotten the other, but he doesn't know if the sentiments are the same.

Mumbo didn't really have the time to be too anxious about it either, busy helping Xisuma with properly setting up the company while also looking for managers and analysts to help him with forming the team.

The next time he finally checked his account again, he was disappointed when there was no message back. But one thing that gave him hope was when Grian’s user was lit up. He was online. And Mumbo could see damn well that his best friend, if he could still call him that, was actually just struggling to come up with a reply, especially when the indication of the other person typing kept popping up and disappearing over and over.

At least, with that, Mumbo knows that he wasn't fully ignored.

After a bit of waiting, he decided to give mercy to whatever message Grian is taking this long to send.

"Queue?"

And then the indication of Grian typing stopped. Then replying,

"You literally returned from war after how many and your first message is to ask to queue?? Not even gonna say hi to the kids?"

Mumbo burst out laughing. Somehow, it feels as if he never left for the professional scene and is back to his teenage self.

"How are you?"

"Got wife and kids."

Mumbo frowned at that, "Seriously?"

"No, you idiot. I'm this young and you think I'd have a kid already?"

"..." Mumbo rolled his eyes

"So what have you been doing this entire time?” I waited for you to catch up. Did you lie to me?

“Well one of us had to go to college, Mumbo.”

“Low Blow.”

“My bad.” Grian then typed, “Queue?”

“So now you’re trying to distract me by asking to play?”

“It's also been a while. I'm itchin’.”

Mumbo checked the time. He's fairly free for the rest of the day. And it's been a while since he's had genuine fun in the game, “Well, we ‘oughta scratch it!”

“Attaboy!”

–

They queue together for a while. Mumbo's old account had considerably ranked down so they were in lower elos. It wasn't that hard to win easily.

Grian was still good at the game, probably even better. He could catch up with Mumbo’s thinking, and Mumbo’s got the professional experience. One thing that bothered him was that Grian didn’t initiate a call like they always did years ago. Comms and all. Mumbo was left with Grian’s spam pinging and visual cues. Mumbo was too shy to ask about it, so he forced himself to be happy enough with Grian playing around with the emotes when they were idle in lane.

But surprisingly, when Mumbo thought they were about to log out, Grian told him to get in-game party call;

“Mumbo.” Oh, Mumbo has not heard that voice in a long time. Grian sounds less like a squeaker now. The long duration of having not spoken to each other was now extremely evident.

Mumbo forgot to greet back, and he didn’t get a chance to, as Grian spoke up again, “Why exactly did you message me again? Surely it's not to play, not when we could've done this for the past years.”

Mumbo didn’t know what to say for a moment. Would it be too rude to ask Grian about his previous interest in esports? Would that seem like he’s trying to flaunt at him or mock him?

His mouth twitched in hesitation, “Are you… still interested in going professional?”

“...” Grian didn’t reply, and Mumbo somehow felt even more desperate.

“You said you’d catch up.”

“I…” Grian sighed into the mic, seeming a little agitated, “Opportunities don't come as easily for me as it did for you, Mumbo.”

Mumbo furrowed his eyebrows, staring at Grian's little cat icon in disbelief, “...And so you gave up, just like that?”

“It wasn't just like that!” Grian defended. He sounded a little pissed off that Mumbo couldn't help but go quiet. At the silence, Pesky muttered an apology and calmed his tone, “Look, I- I really tried, alright? It was pressuring.”

Mumbo opened his mouth to ask what exactly pressured him but Grian beat him to it as he rambled on, “I lost my everyday duo to some team I couldn't even enter myself. Mum kept urging me to give up and go to college, but–” the voice on the other end cracked slightly but he took a long enough pause to steady himself, “I didn't want to- You, you were waiting, up on those big stages, looking around those stadiums like some lost little dog abandoned by their owner–”

“I was not some lost little dog!” Mumbo squeaked out in embarrassment, wondering if he really looked like that in the game livestreams, “How would you even know I was looking for you?!”

Grian’s smug smile could be heard in his tone, “I didn't say you were looking for me.”

Mumbo went quiet and murmured whinily, “You implied….”

The call was filled with Grian's giggling and Mumbo let himself enjoy the embarrassment for a brief moment before moving the topic along, “Anyway, I did say I was going to disagree to join them, but you urged me to accept it. I said I could've waited until we could sign together–”

“But you like the game, don't you, Mumbo?”

Caught quite off-guard, Mumbo gave his question a thought. He did like the game. Understanding the mechanics and strategy of it is fun. Winning a game was actually exciting since the winning conditions needed good skill and awareness to achieve, but…

He only ever truly loved playing it because Grian was there. His best friend was a part of everything he loved about the game.

Mumbo was quiet and he couldn't find it in himself to actually admit his true opinions. Grian assumed that he was just embarrassed to admit that he liked the game and decided to move on, “So it was unfair to you. I couldn't drag you down. I know we promised to do it together, but that doesn't have to cost your possible futures.”

Mumbo chewed on his lip and once again quietly asked, “But are you still interested in playing?”

“Mumbo, I never stopped playing despite,” Grian said. An indirect message admitting that; he wants to play. He's always wanted to play. He never once gave up on the dream to. He's just a little late. “I wouldn't have queued with you today if I wasn't.”

Mumbo was hopeful at that admittance and he was quick to say, “Then play for me.”

“What?”

It was Grian's turn to be caught off-guard this time, sputtering in confusion and in disbelief. Mumbo could hear him sit straight on his chair, judging by the squeaking picked up by his mic, “No, that's- You shouldn't be practicing nepotism, Mumbo-”

Mumbo made a noise caught between a whine and a groan, “It's not nepotism if it's the coach's job to assemble a team of good players,” he defended. Grian was in even more disbelief this time as he caught on as to what Mumbo was getting at.

“Coach? What happened to your original team–? They still had you as a substitute…”

“Capt– X paid for the separation fee.”

Grian’s voice raised a little, “Then who and what the hell are you coaching for?”

Mumbo took a deep breath, needing to steady himself to be able to explain to Grian the situation without making it worse, “Look, I know you said you specifically wanted to play for a well-known team and, currently, X's company is just fairly knew–”

“Oh my god…” Grian muttered, his voice was muffled like he was burying his face in his hands. Mumbo ignored him as he continued to explain.

“He invited me to be the main coach, to set up the team to how I see fit since he had trust in the way I was at least aware of what was right, who was capable– Well, not to be blunt, but I have the skills to be able to strategize for an entire time and–”

Grian cut his ramble off, “You… you didn't do all this just for me, did you?”

Yes, I did.

But, “No,” was what Mumbo said instead. “I still like the game, but I'm still not overly aggressive and competitive enough to be successful as a player, as you know.”

Silence that befell the call after that and it worried Mumbo as he didn't know if Grian could trust that reason. He was just about to continue his little persuasion when he was cut off again.

“I'm joining.”

“Before you– Wait, you are?!”

“Well, someone's gotta make sure you're not making wrong decisions! Who do you think taught you the game?! And you're planning to be the coach!?”

Mumbo couldn't even be sheepish at the underlying tone of being scolded. He was happy enough to hear Grian agree to joining even when doubt was evident in the other’s tone.

He’ll just have to show he’s capable of being Grian’s support, like always.

–

“Grian!” Mumbo had called out excitedly, approaching the man who held such a name. Maybe he was jogging more than politely approaching. Who was to blame him for being excited by the idea of finally meeting his long time online best friend face to face?

Grian’s shoulders jumped in surprise and he couldn't help but turn to look, looking even more stunned as he wasn't given time to react to the sudden hug Mumbo forced him into. His arms couldn’t find where to place itself, eventually relaxing on Mumbo’s back as he hugged back with equal eagerness.

The shorter man couldn’t help but laugh, “You’re surprisingly taller in real life, coach!”

Mumbo froze and pulled away to look at him weirdly, “Already calling me coach?”

“What? Were you actually not planning to sign me?”

Coach Mumbo winced and shook his head panickedly, “Goodness, of course we’re still planning to sign you, it’s just–” he hunched over and pouted a bit, “Isn’t coach a little too formal for us?”

Grian nudged Mumbo playfully, “Get used to it. You wanted this job. Didn’t you, coach?”

Mumbo pouted even more, slightly red in the face, “You don’t find me calling you jungler, do you?”

“I’m not signed yet so you can’t officially call me that yet,” the dirty blonde man then grinned wide, “For now, you can refer to me as darling.”

“Oh, stop it.”

–

Officially signing Grian up as the company’s first player was like a fever dream, even Grian himself would agree, and he’s had plenty of disbelieving things happening to himself. Even now when he was fully acquainted and settled into the residence provided by the team, he couldn’t believe that he was actually… what he dreamed of.

Grian glanced to his side, watching his coach scroll through some gameplay videos for possible teammates. Somehow, it felt right that the online best friend who nerds out about strategies that he can’t apply himself, was the tall man beside him.

Though honestly, Grian still expected Mumbo to be some hunched over nerd like he was. Who knew the man had not only looks and height, he had better posture than Grian.

The dirty blonde slumped in his chair and zoned out as Mumbo started introducing possible teammates, offering him options to form whatever team he wanted.

Grian didn’t listen much, still a little out of it. It is fairly weird that the coach of all people was asking the player who he wanted as teammates when it was supposed to be mainly the coach’s and the management’s job.

“Can I really pick the rest of my teammates?” He cut off Mumbo’s muttering in a familiar manner. Mumbo, as always, didn’t take offense and answered him.

“Of course.”

“And you’d support me?”

They held each other's stare longer than they should've. Mumbo broke into a smile.

“As I always have.”

–

“You’re stressing out Pearl again.”

Grian was half laying on his chair and lazily scrolling through the Grumbo tag on social media when Mumbo had come up to him with an unamused frown. Grian had half the respect for his coach to fix his seating arrangement and sat up properly to flash an innocent smile at Mumbo.

“I don’t seem to follow.”

Mumbo tugged at his hair in distress, familiar with Grian’s pretend dumb strategy. As a coach, you’d think that understanding strategies would be kept to the game, not applied even to his troublesome players.

“Sorry, let me rephrase then. You’re giving both Pearl and the PR team an extremely hard time to defend your honor.”

Grian sighs wistfully, “But you are my honor.”

Mumbo groaned and flushed red at that, “You’ve made that extremely clear with your interview!”

The dirty blonde shrugged and didn’t seem at all unapologetic. Seeing that he was once again going nowhere with attempting to horribly scold Grian, he leaned down and apologetically pecked the man on the forehead. Grian visibly perked up at that and blinked at Mumbo like he was expecting more.

Mumbo didn’t give him more, simply rolled his eyes and turned to leave, “Redo the interview tomorrow and you can negotiate for more.”

“MUUUUUUUUUUMBOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” Grian’s complaints fell to no one’s ears as Mumbo left the training room.

#grumbo #hermitshipping #trafficshipping #grian #mumbo jumbo #waffle duo #fanfic

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chobblesomewrites · 8 months ago

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Hear me out .... Guys ... Guys let me cook with these prompts ....

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chobblesomewrites · 8 months ago

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hi again, cleaning up my notes app stuff again,

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chobblesomewrites · 8 months ago

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are you making an artist au or was that just bordom? artist au s are cool lol

It was just a grumbo/waffle duo AU that was left stuck in my notes because I refused to write or draw any of them for a long while.

If you're so curious, this was supposedly the entire premise of the fanfic I didn't write:

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chobblesomewrites · 8 months ago

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Grumbo // Fluff, Not RPF, HaTO!AU, Mumscarian hinted, Hermitshipping

"I liked it when you still wore your glasses."

Grian blinked out of his focused trance to slowly turn to look at Mumbo watching him at the side, his cheek rested against his hand as he looked at him with a distant and dopey look.

The child of Hermes had half the mind to embarrassed about being stared at so intensely, the rest of the half spent amused, "I didn't drag you here to be judged about my appearances, you know," he pretended to scoff like he took offense to Mumbo's words.

Mumbo frowned and shook his head sheepishly, "I don't mean it in a bad way. I- I still think you look great," he admitted, "Besides, I have nothing else to do, but look at you when I'm supposedly here to provide emotional support while you shovel some horse poo."

Grian frowned at the reminder of his current predicament, "I mean, you could help?"

"I only agreed to give my presence for sanity support, not at the expense of losing my own, " The son of Hephaestus shuddered disgustedly at the thought of even getting near, "Besides, it's your punishment."

The blonde glared at his best friend like a traitor, angrily going back to cleaning the stables, "For someone who's here to save my sanity, you're not doing your job well."

"Let's say I lied in whatever resume I had for this job then. What do you even want me to do?"

"Just talk to me. What's with you and my glasses?"

Mumbo didn't respond immediately that time, causing Grian to look up to see his focused yet embarrassed face as the mustached teen seemed to struggle on how to formulate his words.

The child of Hermes frowned at him, "Is it really that much of a problem?"

"No, no- Gosh, no. Just give me a moment! You of all people should know how difficult it is to communicate your honest thoughts, you know," Mumbo excused with a red face.

"It's just about my appearance? Is it such a serious situation?"

Grian leaned over the nearby water trough and anxiously looked at his own reflection. Sure, he always claims how good looking he is, but it's not like he means it. He's not that narcissistic, but he's sure that he has enough dignity to at least know he's not that ugly.

...Does he actually look that bad?

When he noticed the shorter teen looking a little conscious, Mumbo waved his hands to get his attention back to him as he panicked to explain himself, "I already said it's not bad! You look great! Wonderful, even! The fairest of them all!"

Grian blushed and pretended to look disgusted to cover up his embarrassing reactions to the compliments, "Okay then, Mirror Mirror In the Stables- If I'm so wonderful, what's with the claim about liking me with glasses?"

They stared each other down intensely before Grian added with a mutter, "...Is that your ty--"

"Oh, shut up," Mumbo scoffed, rubbing his red cheeks awkwardly, "I just think it's a shame that you hide your eyes behind your goggles so often now."

"You used to be so expressive back then," he added with a longing pout.

Grian furrowed his eyebrows. He doesn't hide that often, does he? He can't help it either when his vision is dependent on his goggles more especially when he lazily gave up on replacing lost glasses as a frequent sky traveller.

Ah, but remembering the times he'd usually wear them around Scar because he gets affected by his unwarranted pick up lines here and there.... Well, is it his problem that Scar has such a smooth tongue?

He then glared at Mumbo. He's not helping out with his situation either. Mumbo Dumbo.

"I feel safer with them on. Physically and Mentally. Is it such a problem?" Grian crossed his arms and mirrored Mumbo's pout, causing the latter to grin in mild amusement.

"Not a problem at all, but I really would prefer if you looked at me the same way you did back then."

Grian sorted through his memories, "Back then?"

Mumbo shrugged and rested his head on his arms, avoiding Grian's eyes, "Like, uhm- with the.. big eyes, and stuff. They were... e-easier to see with your, uh, glasses than your goggles."

A beat of silence before he then added, "It was cute! I would've thought you absolutely abhorred me back then if it weren't for you staring at me like a bird who found something shiny!"

Grian's face flushed red and he was about to defend himself if it weren't for the other's additional comment, "Also, you squint your eyes and scrunch up your face when you don't wear your goggles, you look like a blind old man--"

Mumbo cut himself off with a squeak as Grian suddenly threw dirt at this direction with his shovel as a warning, "Shut up!"

"You asked about it!" Mumbo defended before backing off even more when dirt was thrown at his direction again, causing him to pout.

Grian was struggling between getting flustered over being called cute and getting pissed over being compared to an old man. He turned his back on Mumbo and grumbled under his breath.

Mumbo sighed exasperatedly in response to his childish reaction, "Wear your glasses more, G."

"Is that out of concern for my vision or do you just like the feeling of being stared at?"

Mumbo chuckled awkwardly, "Let's go with the fact that I want to see your face more?"

#Hermits and The Olympians #grumbo #hermitshipping #waffle duo

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chobblesomewrites · 9 months ago

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Hello! This is an opportunity for you to yap about ANYTHING you wanted to. That's it, use it however you'd like :D

Post about my Scarian Fashionista AU that I absolutely doubt I'll finish so have my draft notes of my plans before I completely gave up;

“Too common.”

“The design is tacky.”

“Now it’s too simple.”

“Grian, dear, are you even trying at this point?”

“Enough with this. If all your designs are just gonna look like this, I’d rather you already leave and reflect on this.”

Grian flinched as he watched the office door slam on his face, leaving him to glare at nothing but polished wood as he trembled frustratingly in place.

When he had signed up for a course on Fashion Design, he thought he had been overqualified for the course. After all, he already had plenty of experience in regards to fashion, so he thought that all he needed was to push through and just let his passions and ideas roam free then he’d get his degree easy peasy.

Too bad that reality is often disappointing, and often likes to humble him offensively.

Grian grit his teeth and was about to kick down his professor’s door until a voice piped up and dragged him away before he could create some long time regrets, “Woah there, buddy. Getting a lil’ too heated there, yeah?”

Pearl giggled as she held the shorter man down by his shoulders, disallowing him any opportunities of kicking down the door and potentially murdering their professor.

The future murderer squirmed under her hold for a while before begrudgingly setting his foot down, “I wouldn’t be like this if they weren’t so– so! Urgh!”

The rest of his words were lost as his emotions took over any sort of coherent thought, only having enough awareness to express his frustrations by groaning and whining. He waved his clenched fists and stomped his feet on the carpeted floor like a child throwing a tantrum.

With how he was acting, any student could mistake him for some short freshman first realizing the cruelty of college life. Fortunately, Pearl wasn’t any student and saved him the embarrassment of having to be compared to younger students.

“I know, I know. But if you were gonna get kicked out from university, I’d rather you get kicked out with an honorable reason,” she patted Grian’s back comfortingly, “And murdering a professor because you had a disagreement on some concept designs is not an honorable reason. It would be embarrassing, actually.”

Grian puffed up his cheeks and took a deep breath, steeling himself as he quickly turned on his heel to start brisk walking to a random direction, “Walk,” he announced vaguely, but Pearl was quick to understand and she followed after the other at a slower pace.

Clearly, this wasn’t their first time being in this kind of situation. In a world where standards heighten with every year, every decade, and every fad and trends, designers like them need to get ready for all kinds of heavy rejection, criticism, and judgment. Same can be said for any person who studied and worked under anything visual.

Hopes and dreams were meant to stay as hopes and dreams.

If you even attempt to express those to the world without having the bravery to back it up, it would inevitably face destruction in the hands of the high expectations of the public, and soon enough you’d be left with nothing but an empty shell that has sacrificed it all because they believe in passion over standards.

To battle the frustrations and heavy emotions that came as a result from these sacrifices, Grian and Pearl have learned to make a habit of doing simple things like strolls and walks. Because if you physically tire yourself out, then you wouldn’t have the energy to even impulsively think of rebelling against the norms of society.

And also because walks are nice. The campus gave them a lot of space to explore, so why not use it, right?

The pair found themselves strolling the halls of the building with Grian leading and Pearl calmly following behind. She didn’t make any attempts to catch up and walk beside the man because one cannot simply match an angry Grian’s pace. The shorter man had so much adrenaline from months upon months of suppressed anger that it was simply impossible to even walk with him properly without getting sore legs the next hour.

Pearl could only thank whatever god is above for making Grian as loud as he is, “Too common, too tacky– Her face looks too common and her personality is too tacky!” now starts Grian’s monthly ranting session.

“When I try to follow the current trends, she says the design is too overused and plain. But when I try to actually make something unique, she thinks it’s too ambitious and gaudy! It’s like she’s never happy!”

The brunette behind him snorted, “Maybe she wants an equilibrium? Something that’s just right?” she offered, to which her friend rolled his eyes.

“Something just right? Who is she? Freakin’ Goldilocks?!” Grian screeched and ruffled his own hair in distress, slowing down a few steps as he kicked his feet in anger.

Although this kind of reaction would probably gain him some few worried looks, Pearl herself was already too used to this scene and she simply giggled in response, “Maybe she is, you never know.”

Grian sighed out a groan and crossed his arms. His energy slowly simmered down as he eventually slowed down enough to be walking beside Pearl, “How are you so calm about this? I would’ve thought you’d be angry walking with me, but instead you’re just…. Well, walking.”

Pearl grinned wide and puffed up her chest proudly, “Well, contrary to my experiences for the past few terms, things are actually looking up for me!” Grian raised an eyebrow at this, squinting his eyes at the other with either a suspicious look or a look of envy. Probably both.

He tried to act nonchalant about it, like he’s totally not yearning to say the same thing for himself, “All because you’ve got some inspiration, huh?” His question had a teasing edge, making Pearl bashfully laugh.

“Some is undermining it. Gem has been a great source of inspiration. It’s like I’m being spoon fed a new idea everyday,” Pearl boasted enthusiastically that even Grian couldn’t help but flash a smile, “Huh, good for you then. It’s nice that you’ve atleast rekindled any sort of happiness that Professor Goldilocks may have burnt out,” he snorted.

Silence settled for a while with Pearl glancing at Grian like she was trying to figure out what to say to him. She only finally spoke up what was brewing on her mind when he acknowledged her gaze with a tilt of his head.

“Why not get a muse of your own?”

Grian’s face scrunched up at that question, “Of my own?”

“Yeah.”

Grian gave it a thought and he shook his head, “With how I am? I’m better off continuing to do things alone,” he grumbled.

He was already used to coming up with inspirations for himself on the spot. Because, unlike now, he was actually pretty passion-driven before, fueled with nothing but the dreams he’s held onto since he was young. It’s only unfortunate that he ran out of it because his professor was discouraging and hated everything he came up with, so he started living on thinking that everything he’s doing is inadequate, that he needs to improve his thinking before he could improve himself. It was a ‘he’ problem that he is more than capable of handling alone.

At least, that’s what he’s been persuading himself to think. But the more he thought about the idea of having a muse, the more appealing it sounded.

Or maybe that was his loneliness speaking.

While Grian was having inner conflicts within himself, Pearl continued to spit out encouraging words herself, “I mean, it’s not like it won’t be worth it,” she nudged the shorter man with an elbow to gain his attention back to her, “We’d need to gather models for our finals anyway.”

The blonde blinked in confusion, “Finals?”

Pearl gave him a weird look, “Our finals, Grian. The one where we’d have to get models to personally show off our designs by the end of the term.”

His expression froze along with his thought process as his brain began to file through any memory regarding his final project.

When he did finally register everything, Grian stopped in his steps to facepalm with both hands, letting out his nth muffled groan that same hour, “I… actually forgot,” he admitted with a whine before releasing his face and staring at Pearl in panic.

The end of the term fashion show. It sounded so ridiculous that it completely slipped Grian’s mind that it would actually be a contributing factor to his grades.

“Where am I even gonna get a muse, much less a model?!” He squeaked out, now resorting to pacing around the empty hallway in circles with his hands tugging on his own locks in distress.

Pearl stood to the side and couldn't even get a word in before Grian continued on with his monologue of panic, “I can’t just– Kneel and reach out for the sky and pray some god would hear my prayers!” He sounded manic.

The blonde stopped to stand at the ceiling to floor windows that decorated one side of the hallway, gesturing towards the sky through the said window in front of him, “Like, they can’t just drop down a beautiful being out of nowhere!”

As soon as he said that, his dark eyes looked down from the sky and unconsciously magnetized towards a figure outside on campus grounds, seemingly on the lookout for something.

Not that Grian was curious to know anything about what said figure was trying to do. All he knew at that moment was that they.... (I didn't finish this. Just imagine Scar just appeared lol)

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chobblesomewrites · 9 months ago

Text

Uh, here's the infodump of another hermitshipping AU I have no confidence I will finish. As another answer to Castor's ask

For all his life, Mumbo believed that he was difficult to love. Though, yes, he was quite tall, gentlemanly, and had a lovely mustache– features that would attract plenty of people, but that’s not enough to show the world how much of a mess he actually is.

He preferred work over playing, spectating over participating, making art instead of finding love… Yeah, Mumbo had long concluded that he wasn’t cut out for a married life at all.

So when someone as lovely as Grian came around saying; “I like you.” Mumbo found it hard to believe.

At the time, Mumbo had thought that Grian approached him either out of pity or because some friend had dared him to. At least, the blonde man had looked like he was forced there, judging by the way he kept fidgeting on the spot and was so red in the face he couldn’t meet Mumbo’s eyes. So Mumbo, without even questioning anything else, had just agreed to go out with him in hopes that he would help out the man from whatever predicament he got himself in.

At the time, he thought the relief and surprise on Grian’s face had been a silent expression of gratefulness for Mumbo’s mercy- for just agreeing to date him to get things over with. The raven haired man thought that he was being a hero to the gentleman in distress.

Mumbo went through about 15 dates with the man, suppressing urges to actually fall in love, fully expecting Grian to eventually break up and fess up that he won the bet with his friends and that they could both finally go back to their individual boring lives.

Mumbo waited.

Waited even after he took Grian into his apartment after his family had kicked him out.

Waited even after the 5 cups of coffee he brewed for Grian when was having a particularly busy night for an architectural project.

Waited even after they were both able to get up on the stage and get their diplomas together.

Waited even after they celebrated getting their first jobs together.

Even after deciding to get a house together…

Even after deciding to sleep on the same bed…

Even after they exchanged vows…

And it was during dinner when Mumbo was zoning out did he realize;

“Wait, this wasn’t how it was supposed to go,” he mumbled out in surprise, causing Grian beside him to raise an eyebrow at him in confusion.

“What wasn’t how it was supposed to go?”

Mumbo opened and closed his mouth, staring at his husband in disbelief. In disbelief that he isn’t in college anymore, that they weren’t just “dating” anymore.

They’re literally both sitting here, eating warm dinner together, under the same house they both own, way past the newlywed stage, and not at all broken up like how Mumbo had expected since the start.

“When are you divorcing me?” he blurted out mid-thought.

A loud ‘CLANK’ rang out at the dinner table as Grian dropped his fork, causing Mumbo to flinch violently in reaction, before then proceeding to outright shiver in fear as Grian’s expression turned from confusion to something akin to incredulity.

It was then that Mumbo realized what he had just said.

“What did you just say?” Grian stared at him with widened eyes. Mumbo swallowed nervously and was failing to meet the other’s eyes. He needed to explain himself quick.

“I-it’s just, you know! Are you not unhappy with having to stick with me for this long? I would’ve thought–” Mumbo was cut off by a slam to the table. He would’ve gone on a tangent about how Grian must’ve made a mistake to stick with him for this long 7 years into their marriage, but he was at least smart enough to know not to continue that monologue.

Not especially when Grian, who was rarely actually mad, was actually mad.

“Why on earth would you think that? What makes you think I think that?” Grian’s face was scrunched up in an offended manner, he kept an intense gaze on the taller’s figure, urging for an answer.

Mumbo’s shoulders were hiked up to his ears, “Didn’t you marry me out of pity?” His voice came out squeaky, almost as if even his lungs were scared to work under Grian’s scrutinizing gaze.

“Would I marry someone out of pity?!”

“M-Maybe?! Didn’t you just date me because you were forced to?”

Grian’s jaw dropped and he looked at Mumbo as if he grew a second head. He hunched over the table and buried his face into his hands, letting out an extremely tired sigh that made Mumbo hesitate on whether he should take back everything he said and go reach out to comfort the man.

Not that he was given a chance to, Grian didn’t even meet his eyes as he stood up snappily, the chair screeching against their floor, “Good heavens, I need a moment,” and so he left, stomping off to their shared bedroom and leaving a cold half-eaten plate of dinner on the table.

Mumbo stared at his own plate with dread.

It was when the loneliness he prepared himself to get used to long ago settled over the dining table did he realize his situation; he’s not as prepared as he thought he was for a lonely life and he pissed off Grian. Even worse, he probably hurt him.

Mumbo could’ve sworn his own wedding vows had said he promised he wouldn’t do that.

“Pants.”

<hr>

Mumbo was having a bad day, although that’s mainly his fault and his fault only.

He went to the studio earlier than usual. 2 hours earlier than usual, but that’s to be the case when you can’t really get any more proper sleep on a couch that’s smaller than your own person.

After spending a gruesome dinner alone (or rather sitting at the dinner table silently questioning your life before deciding to put the leftovers away and cleaning up), Grian had expectedly locked him out of their bedroom. Mumbo had to remind himself over and over again through an uncomfortable cold, blanket-less night that this was the consequence of his own actions so he has no right to complain.

He found himself grateful for Grian who decided to unlock the bedroom door some time in the middle of the morning to let Mumbo have access to his clothes at least. Although it was uncomfortable to tip-toe around the bedroom to avoid awakening the sleeping monster on the bed while preparing for work.

The scariest part was actually finishing preparations and leaving the room, thinking you had completed the stealth mission successfully, only to find out you didn’t. He hadn’t known Grian was awake the entire time until he heard a soft call from the bed.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” the monster of the bed had said. Mumbo swallowed and lingered by the bedroom door, looking around nervously as if to truly put thought into his answer, “Um, g-g-good morning?”

“....” Grian pushed him out of the room and slammed the door on him.

“I messed up even more,” Mumbo groaned in remembrance of the scene this morning and melted into his office chair, barely paying any attention to the emails on his monitor screen. He thought diving into work would distract him from reminding him of how he ruined his marriage, but the dullness of work just had him thinking even more than he did back at home.

Grian wasn’t around, so Mumbo’s brain finally had the space to worry more about the situation rather than worry about sneaking around his own house. It left him tired, adding to the fact that he barely has any sleep.

He was too tired to react even to the sound of someone knocking on his door frame before rudely stepping into his office anyway.

“Well, don’t you look horrible,” newly entered Iskall pointed out with a worried but amused grin, putting down a cup of coffee on Mumbo’s desk, right next to the other empty paper cups of coffee. 4 empty cups to signal just how much he’s been chugging since this morning.

Mumbo did look horrible, “I’m very aware,” His eyebags that had always been there looked a lot more prominent now. His usually styled hair was unruly, strands sticking out in all directions. He looked as if he was there working since 2 days ago, but really, he’s only been clocked in for almost 3 hours, “Just started the day wrong.”

“What? Woke up on the wrong side of bed or something?”

Mumbo winced and brushed his hair back, tugging at it in stress, “I didn’t even wake up on a bed.”

Iskall didn’t respond immediately, staring at Mumbo like he was trying to understand what he was getting at. When his brain did finally come to a conclusion with the small hints Mumbo presented, he put on a dramatic look of shock, “Have you finally reached that stage of marriage in which the wife punishes her unruly husband by making him sleep on the couch?”

The raven haired sent a deadpan stare over to Iskall’s direction, making the man backtrack and change his tone, “Serious situation? Alright, I’ll bite. What’s up with your oh-so-seemingly-perfect marriage?”

“I think I made Grian mad,” Mumbo wasn’t one to talk too much about his relationships, as it had no connection to his work whatsoever and he didn’t really want to attach himself to the relationship too much considering that he genuinely did think there was soon to be an ending to it.

But now, seeing that his husband was actually throwing an angry tantrum for a rare time of his life, his brain is suddenly throwing all other thoughts out the window. It was as if he’s just forgotten that he was expecting Grian to have an incentive to leave him, now just focused on making Grian feel better because some part of his brain went through an ick seeing the man so devastated.

“I-I was just… I questioned when he was filing for divorce because I thought he would’ve left me all those years ago already. I thought he was staying because he felt guilty enough to commit to the bit… or some sort.”

The way Iskall’s face scrunched up incredulity reminded Mumbo of how Grian did the same, “You went through college together, made your friends suffer your disgusting pining all throughout, graduated together, shared a kiss at the marriage altar, and you still actually think Grian has just been staying with you because he felt bad for you,” Mumbo nodded along.

“The entire decade he spent with you because you thought HE PITIED YOU?”

Mumbo hesitated before nodding again, but more sheepishly. Iskall looked as if he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, which made the raven haired even more embarrassed for some reason. Mapping it all out, he knows it’s all stupid, but he hardwired his brain to long expect the worst for himself already. Mumbo genuinely felt that there was no way someone as good as Grian was allowed in his life.

There should’ve been a better possible world where Grian is happier, only to be stopped by none other than himself.

“Geez, if I were your husband, I’d throw a fit over you bringing up divorce too. Even more when you seem like you’re encouraging me to do it after dedicating my entire life to you.”

“But you’re not my husband,” Mumbo said defensively.

Iskall raised his hands up in surrender, “Chill, dude. I’m no homewrecker. Grian would cut off a limb if I even begin to think you’re my type.”

Mumbo huffs, “You’re so unhelpful.”

“I just asked what’s up, not that I offered to give you actual advice.”

Fair enough. He did say that.

Seeing as the conversation was going nowhere, Mumbo rested his head on the table frustratingly, his brain continuing to work overtime on trying to find solutions or explanations to this situation. Iskall pitifully patted him on the back as he silently tried to get his life together again.

“Do you really think he cares enough?” Mumbo finally spoke, causing his co-worker to snap out of his own daze and looking at him questioningly. The mustached man rose up from his awkward position and reiterated his statement, “Does he actually care enough to cut off your limbs?”

Iskall took his arm back to his side and slowly backed out of the office, squinting his eyes at Mumbo suspiciously, “I don’t think you’re aware as to how much Grian truly cares…”

Mumbo raised an eyebrow, his eyes following Iskall backing away, “Wh- Where are you going? It’s not like he’d actually go and cut off your limbs. It was a hypothetical question!”

“You really aren’t aware,” and Mumbo wasn’t even given anymore time to react before Iskall ran out of his office like his life actually depended on it.

<hr>

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