They had a funeral.

Of course, they weren't going to bury Grian several thousands of miles away from everything else.
This one was ceremonial, flowers laid out on top of the faerie circle, a sign acting as a headstone.

Mumbo stood up from where he was on the ground, a little birch sapling planted in the soil at his feet.
Grian's tree.
He knew he'd come back here often and watch the little tree grow.

Stress hugged him close and by this point, he didn't know if it was for his sake or hers, her body shaking with sobs while he stood there numbly, finally out of tears but hurting all the same.

He felt like he was walking though life in a daze, reality was cloudy glass, details foggy as they blurred together into a giant colourful, hazy mess.

He knew the funeral was real.
Knew that Grian wouldn't come back.

And yet...he kept hoping that it was all one bad dream.
Kept hoping that he'd turn around and see the crooked smile on a familiar face.

Stress was pulling his arm, leading him up the stairs, words tumbling from her mouth but none of them made any sense.
It was just noise. Meaningless noise.

He was sat down, food pushed in front of him. Stress gave Mumbo a pleading look, more noise spilling from her lips.
"Please, Mumbo. You gotta eat."

He shook his head. He felt sick.
He pushed the food away.

The bowl was pushed back towards him, Stress crossing her arms.
"Eat. You'll feel better."
Yes, she was stern about it, but it was the loving type. The kind with a softer voice and kindness poured into every action.

Mumbo ate.
Stress was right, he did feel marginally better, the taste of the mushroom stew slowly tying him back down to reality.
The spoon clattered into the empty wooden bowl. "Thanks."

"Anytime, love."

If Mumbo had to guess, Doc told Xisuma everything that happened last night. Everyone was walking on eggshells around him, and while he understood why, it was disheartening to see his friends treat him like he was going to explode.
But he understood their caution.
How exactly do you approach the person who disappeared for months, only to return carrying a body, and clam up when asked what happened?

Simple- you don't.

So he stayed holed up in Grian's house with Grian's body occupying the space rather than his laughter.

There was word of some people starting to pack up anyway. Sitting out here in the jungle with nothing to do left for a lot of time to think...and thinking often led to the grave on the jungle floor.
The others needed something to take their mind off of everything- so they planned to head back.

Of course- there was the nether portal Mumbo had built to get here, making the trip back home much easier than before.

It only took a few days for everyone to clear out.

Everyone except 2 people.

"Mumbo? You there?"

The redstoner looked up at the sound of Scars voice, bookmarking his spot in the book he was reading. "Yeah."

"I, uhh. I was wondering if you were gonna come back or not. Since it's just the two of us left here now, and I'm heading back now so I just..." The wizard trailed off, eyes darting about the place.

"I'll come back with you. I- I've got my stuff sorted so...yeah. Yeah I'll come back." And indeed, the inside of the little house was mostly empty, Mumbos bag crammed full of whatever he could carry.
He also was carrying Grian again, the only difference was that there was a drawstring pouch on a long piece of leather cord around the pranksters neck.

Scar gave it a puzzled look but if Mumbo had anything to say on the matter, he didn't spill it. "Ready?"

Mumbo nodded, gently tapping the door shut with his foot as he followed Scar on the long trip back to their jungle.

And everything would have gone perfectly.
Except dead bodies don't cough and sputter for air.