Grian ran up the stairs of his mansion and into his bedroom. He stumbled onto the bed and curled up into a ball and let out a sad sob.

He didn't want to feel this way.

He wished he could stop feeling this way.

He sat up and wiped his damp eyes with his sweater sleeve. He couldn't bear the pain anymore, so he pulled off the sweater and shirt.

He opened up his wings, which were again bigger now. He flapped them a few times, and he hated how natural it felt. He didn't want them to feel natural. He wanted to get rid of them.

Grian decided that he should try and do something to make himself feel better. He thought about that morning, when Mumbo gave him the cookie.

The reason he was so hesitant was because, well, cookies killed parrots. He was so afraid of becoming a bird. He was afraid that it would kill him as well.

He was just being irrational...right?

Besides, his wings weren't parrot wings. Heck, were they bird wings at all? Maybe he was just thinking that because of that nightmare he had had.

"Maybe I should eat the cookie. That'll make me feel better. Mumbo made it for me..."

He reached into his pocket, but nothing was there. He reached into the other pocket, and the only thing he felt was the napkin.

His heart dropped into his stomach. He remembered when he was pulling the rockets out of his pocket, and something fell.

Now he knew what it was.

"Holy-"

Grian stood up quickly (a bit too quickly, he got lightheaded), and rushed out of his room. He had to make sure that the cookie was still there. Maybe Mumbo hadn't seen it.

If he had...Grian would feel absolutely trash. Mumbo would probably think that Grian hated him. Mumbo would probably hate Grian. Mumbo would-

Grian stopped right as he ran down the stairs of the mansion's front. He realized he wasn't wearing a shirt, and his wings were in full view. Sure, it was dark and it was nighttime, but so many of the hermits loved to stay up.

If one of them saw him-

He closed his wings (why were they open?) and tried to go back inside.

He was about to turn around when he heard someone call his name.

"Grian-"

It was Mumbo.

Grian stopped in his tracks like a deer in headlights.

He pressed his wings against his body as tight as he could so Mumbo wouldn't see.

He stepped back a bit, into the more shadowy part of the mansion's front.

Mumbo glided down and landed in front of him.

He was wearing his elytra, which reminded Grian of his own wings.

"Is...is everything alright? Did I do something wrong?"

Mumbo did not hesitate. He came right out and asked Grian if he failed him in any way.

Grian felt so awkward, standing there in the dark, scared and shirtless.

"Was there a reason you refused to try my baking?" Mumbo sounded hurt. Not physically, but emotionally.

Holy crap I've made a huge mistake

Grian stayed silent. He didn't know what to say and, even if he did, his mouth just would not open.

"Grian...please. Just-...step out of the shadows, I want to talk to you..."

Mumbo gave him a look that made Grian feel so guilty.

His heart and his brain were conflicted. His heart wanted him to step out there and just admit to Mumbo everything. Show him the wings and hug him. Cry into his arms as he comforted him. He wanted that so badly.

But his brain wanted the opposite. His brain wanted him to run away and not answer his friend. His brain wanted him to get rid of the wings. His brain wanted him to stay silent and not ask for help.

What could he do?

When he didn't answer, Mumbo spoke up again.

"Do you...do you hate me or something?"

Grian's heart hurt so bad. Why did Mumbo have to ask these questions?

"Fine. If you won't step out of the shadows, I'll step into them."

Panic filled Grian's entire body. He backed up a bit until he was up against the side of the massive staircase, his wings pressed against the cold stone.

Mumbo stepped forwards. He was wearing the same thing he was wearing back at Grumbot, but he looked slightly disheveled. His hair was all tousled and it looked like he had been crying.

Oh no. I did that, didn't I? I made him cry! I-

"Grian."

Mumbo was standing in front of him. He could see his friend better, though not exactly. His eyes hadn't quite adjusted to the darkness, but his buddy's scars were visible.

"Is everything okay?" Mumbo asked, making eye contact with Grian.

Grian looked away, wanting to shrink away into nothingness.

"Did I hurt you in any way-" Mumbo's voice broke. Grian looked back up at him, and it looked like he was about to cry.

"Mumbo-"

The tall man looked almost surprised that Grian had said anything. For some reason, he didn't look surprised at the fact that Grian was shirtless, or covered in scars.

Does he know?

"Mumbo, I am so sorry, I never meant to hurt you. I-...it's hard to explain...I just...I don't know what to say-" Grian's voice wavered.

"You don't need to say anything if you don't want to."

Mumbo put a hand on Grian's scarred right shoulder. Grian realized that the scar had been burning, but now it had stopped once Mumbo touched it.

"You're hurt, aren't you?"

Grian stiffened up at that question.

"Your back is hurt, or something like that...right?"

Grian pushed himself more against the stone. It hurt a lot.

Defying his own brain, he slowly nodded in reply.

"Why didn't you tell me? I could help you!" Mumbo gave Grian a pleading look.

"Well...you know me. Too full of pride, heh." Grian joked with a laugh.

Mumbo did not laugh.

"Please...just...talk to me. I want to help you. You always try your best to help me. I want to do the same for you. You're my best friend, and I can't bear seeing you in any form of pain."

Mumbo's words broke Grian. He slid down the wall and pulled his knees to his face. He hugged them and let out a cry.

The tall Englishman stepped back in surprise, but quickly got on his knees and threw his arms around his sobbing buddy.

Grian forgot about the wings in that moment. They didn't matter.

He threw his arms around his friend and hugged him tightly, crying into his shoulder, and getting more redstone all over him.

As Mumbo hugged Grian, he felt the wings. They were soft, and gave off a slight glow. Why was Grian against them?

Grian felt at peace for a single moment, until he felt Mumbo feel the wings.

Mumbo played dumb for his best friend's sake.

"Hold on-" he started to say

Grian's anxiety shot through the roof.

"Why are you wearing your elytra, but not wearing a shirt?" Mumbo let go and gave his friend a quizzical look.

Grian laughed through his tears, and rubbed his eyes. "I got turned around. I was gonna check on Grumbot, and...the cookie...but I was in such a rush that I equipped my elytra without putting on a shirt."

He was so quick to lie. It came so naturally.

Years of practice had paid off.

Mumbo smiled slightly. "Alright."

Grian spoke up again. "About the cookie...I'm really sorry, I just...didn't feel well today. I was going to eat it! In fact, I was about to eat it when I got home, but I remembered I had dropped it. I bet you could imagine how absolutely rubbish I felt when I realized that you probably saw it-"

Mumbo cut Grian off with another tight hug.

"I figured that was the case. And don't worry about the cookie. I was...overreacting."

No, you weren't. You were completely justified in your feelings , Grian thought.

"Besides, I can always make more. Would you like me to bring you some tomorrow?"

Grian looked up at his friend, who gave him the kindest look. He nodded in answer.

"Alright." Mumbo smiled, and wiped Grian's eyes with his hand. Mumbo took G's hands and stood up, helping the smaller hermit up as well.

"I best be going back to my base now." Mumbo said, motioning in the general direction of his home.

"And I best be getting some rest." Grian repli ed.

Mumbo gave him a nod and turned to leave.

"Hey. Remember what I told you. You can talk to me about anything. I won't judge you and I'll try my best to help with what you're going through, alright buddy?" Mumbo said, walking backwards so that he was facing Grian.

Grian nodded. "I...I'll try to remember that."

Mumbo smiled. "Good. See you tomorrow morning! Good night!"

"Night."

Mumbo had left, and Grian was all alone in the shadows.

Mumbo thought his wings were an elytra, and he didn't mention the scars. Was it because he knew? Or was it because he was so considerate? Or-

Grian shook his head. He needed sleep.

He stepped out of the shadows, and bolted into his house so that he wouldn't be seen.