Just because it's a gran recontinuation doesn't mean there can't be angst

TWs: mentioned abuse

•°•

Grian, Scott, and Jimmy were quick to leave when they found out Keralis was coming to talk about the others' "experiences."

"Good luck," Grian whispered to Xisuma, who tensed.

"Thanks," X murmured, waving as they left.

"You okay?" Zed asked, coming up from behind Xisuma to massage his shoulders. "You look really nervous. And not in the normal way."

Xisuma blushed and turned to the blonde. "What do you mean, 'the normal way?'" he asked, though he knew exactly what Zedaph meant.

Zed smiled gently. "You always get so flustered around Keralis," he said, making Xisuma blush even more. "And you stutter over your words and-" He stopped to giggle when Xisuma covered his red face with his hands. "Aww, you're blushinggg."

"I'm aware."

Zed giggled a bit again, then his concerned expression returned. "But seriously," he said, "what's wrong?"

"Yeah, I have to agree with Zed here," Tango said. "You're acting abnormally nervous right now. It's a little disconcerting."

Xisuma sighed, wrapping his arms around himself. "It's just... Keralis and I have... issues." He shook his head. "But it doesn't matter right now. What matters is that he comes and tells us exactly everything that he knows, then leaves and never talks to me again."

Bdubs blinked. "Damn, I thought you two were a couple."

X's face turned red as a tomato and he could almost feel steam coming out of his ears and off the top of his head. "We are not a couple!"

•°•

Grian grinned as he listened in to the conversation, then began to laugh as he walked away. "The seeds of doubt have been planted," he declared gleefully, "and they're growing beautifully."

Scott felt uneasy at how amused Grian was, suddenly questioning whether they really wanted to do this or not. Sure, they wanted whatever magic those mortals had, but to completely rip apart and destroy their relationships was something Scott did not sign up for.

"Was that really necessary?" Jimmy asked, and Grian turned to glare at him. "I mean, it seems kind of unnecessary to-"

"Are you... questioning me?" Grian asked, quirking a brow as his brown eyes turned a bright purple. "After everything we've been through together, everything I've done for you, and everything you owe me... you're questioning my better judgement?"

Jimmy looked down at the floor. "Sorry."

Grian sighed, then gave a soft, reassuring smile. "You have nothing you need to worry about, okay?" he said, walking over to hold Jimmy's hands gently in his own. "Just trust me."

Scott watched as Jimmy's eyes flashed the same purple that Grian's were glowing, the taller nodding in response. A shiver ran down Scott's spine knowing that Grian had just used his powers to possess and manipulate the god of possession.

"Thank you," Grian said, then blinked and his eyes returned to their dark, chocolate-brown colour. "Now let's hurry and leave before that Keralis gets here."

•°•

Xisuma had to hide in the bathroom by the time Keralis got there because of how much his anxiety was building up. His stomach twisted and churned as he heard Keralis talking to the others in the living room, and he was sure he'd vomit at any minute. After everything Grian told him and how much it hurt, Xisuma was reluctant to leave the bathroom, even though the only thing he wanted was to get this over with.

"X?"

"Y-yeah?" he answered, not really thinking about who was on the other side of the door. He felt so nervous, he didn't care.

"Keralis is here and he really wants to see you."

Xisuma squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to take deep breath and hold back tears. "Does he?"

"Uh, yeah, um... You good in there?"

Taking one final breath, Xisuma nodded and opened the door. "I'm fine," he said with a smile, and Joel glanced down at Xisuma's hands, which were shaking. Xisuma put his hands behind his back quickly, though, so hopefully Joel didn't have enough time to see how bad he was shaking.

Keralis smiled brightly when he saw Xisuma come down the hallway, making Xisuma feel even more sick. "Hey," he said, sounding genuinely happy to see him. "Are you okay? You look shaky."

Xisuma scoffed and waved a hand. "No, no, I'm fine, I'm not shaking at all." He held his hand up, then put it down when Keralis gave him a concerned look.

"Well," Keralis started, "I can finally explain what's going on... if you still want to hear it."

Xisuma let out a soft sigh. Hopefully this would be over quickly. "Yeah."

•°•

"What the hell do you mean you're not human?!" Bdubs shouted.

Keralis sighed. "I'm an Eldritch being," he began to explain. "And I was sent to Earth to protect you guys when you finally discovered your magic."

Joel snickered, then started to laugh. "Come on, this isn't some indie superhero movie," he said. "There's no such thing as magic or Eld- What the fuck." He stared as Keralis held out his arm, the limb turning into some gross, slimy, tar-covered tentacle. "Okay, okay, I believe you-"

Xisuma felt like he was zoning in and out of reality, hung up on how much he wanted to vomit because of Keralis. He was disgusted with him and the fact that he was, for some reason, trying to keep Grian and X from being friends with each other.

"Soooo," False started slowly, "this magic thing... Why...?" She trailed off, not finishing her question but not needing to.

"You're all reincarnations of virtues, basically," Keralis said. "Seven of you are reincarnations of the Seven Heavenly Virtues, but... I'm not quite sure who is who aside from a couple of you."

Scar's eyes lit up. "Am I one of them? Am I?"

Fwhip snickered. "He just said he doesn't know."

"The Heavenly Virtues are kindess, humility, chastity, diligence, patience, charity, and temperance," Keralis continued. "The other two of your virtues are courage and loyalty."

"What about the third?" Bdubs asked. "There's ten of us."

"Xisuma isn't a part of the virtues since he's, uh," Keralis paused and glanced at Xisuma, "sort of the prince of the Void?"

X blinked, hearing his name and the word prince said in the same sentence being the thing to bring his focus back. "Excuse me?" he muttered, genuinely not understanding what Keralis had said.

Keralis laughed a little bit. "Yeah, so..." He scratched his head as he tried to figure out how to explain everything. "I'm not great at explaining this stuff, but, um... when you were born, the End was under attack, so to protect the Void, the Ender Dragon sent you to-"

"The what?" Xisuma interrupted. "I'm sorry, the Ender Dragon? You've got to be making this up."

Keralis shook his head. "I'm not," he said seriously. "You were sent here by the Ender Dragon and I was sent after you to protect you from danger so that one day you could return to the End and rule the realm."

Xisuma's jaw dropped. "I'm royalty?" he asked quietly. "And you left me with those assholes?!" he shouted, standing up.

"No, I didn't-"

"You left me to live my life with abusive, horrible people?!" Xisuma continued, his eyes watering.

Keralis stood up. "No, no, we had no idea they would-" He stopped when Xisuma began to cry. "Shashwammy..."

"How could you?" X asked, his volume quiet again as he cried softly. "How could you be sent to protect me but let me live with them?"

"Shashwammy, we didn't know they were abusive until you were already in your teens," Keralis said, making Xisuma cry harder. "You hid it too well from us, we had no reason to suspect you were being abused until there was nothing we could do!"

Xisuma furrowed his brows. He's lying, he thought briefly, just making excuses for having done nothing to help. "You really hate me that much, huh?" he murmured before he could stop himself, sitting back down.

Keralis blinked, dumbfounded. "Hate you?"

"To do nothing about my situation, and then act like you had no choice but to watch me get beaten and screamed at and-"

"We could do nothing!"

"Why not?!" Xisuma screamed. "Why couldn't you do anything?! If you and that dumb dragon are supposed to be so powerful, what was stopping you from saving me?!"

Keralis went quiet.

"Exactly!" X sobbed. "There is no reason you couldn't have gotten me out of there!"

Remaining silent, Keralis looked away and pursed his lips.

Xisuma shook his head. "Grian was right about you," he said as he got up to gather his things to leave. "I never should've let myself get so attached. I was stupid and naive and an idiot, just like you said."

Keralis looked up, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Grian told me what you said about me." Xisuma wiped his eyes with the palms of his hands. "He said you thought I was stupid and that you hate me. I almost didn't believe him, but it makes so much sense. Even after everything we've been through, you still hate me."

Keralis shook his head in pure disbelief. "I don't know what that little bastard said to you, but-"

"And there you go again!" Xisuma laughed sarcastically, the sound anything except joyful. "Trying to separate us! What is your problem?"

"I'm trying to separate you two because Grian is a magic-sucking monster," Keralis said sternly. "Have you noticed that every time he touches you, you get tired and faint?"

Xisuma rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, pouting. "I fainted because I was dehydrated, dummy," he scoffed.

"Dehydrated of magic."

"Oh my- Would you shut up about that for two seconds?" Xisuma groaned, getting up to walk to the other side of the room. He ran his hands through his hair as he tried to control his temper. "You're not understanding what I'm trying to tell you."

Keralis sighed. "Then just tell me."

"Fine." Xisuma turned around. "You're an asshole, for one. You told Grian you hated me because I'm a self-centered prick that's entitled and- and that I'm an idiot for ever thinking that you liked me back."

The room went dead silent as Keralis shook his head.

"I would never-"

"But you did."

"I didn't!"

Xisuma turned around. "Just leave."

"Sh-"

"Leave."

Keralis didn't say anything, just nodding and getting up to walk out the door. As soon as it closed, Xisuma burst into tears and the rest of the band burst into questions and concern.

What just happened?