- 3 DAYS AGO -

Xisuma took his bee suit out of the dryer. He put it on and it was still warm for a moment before the heat left the clothes. He ran a hand through his fluffy hair before putting on his gloves. He sighed and walked down the stairs. The netherrack fire was flickering in the living room, softly illuminating his sleeping friend. Xisuma smiled and went over to the door, picking up his helmet on the way out. It was still pouring.

The admin put his helmet on and took a deep breath through the filters before exiting his home. He locked the door behind him.

The bee man buzzed as he took out a rocket and launched himself into the air. He didn't need an elytra. He already had a pair of wings.

Back at the home, Grian slept on the couch in front of the fire. It was a semi-peaceful sleep for the most part.

It seemed like the bigger changes always happened as Grian slept.

Xisuma flew through the rain back to his home. After a long day of work, he was ready to just sit and breathe without needing the helmet.

He landed on the porch step and pulled out his keys. X took the yellow and black striped key and put it into the doorknob.

The man unlocked the door and stepped inside, the house quiet other than the crackle of the fire.

X took off his helmet and shook out his hair. He set the helmet back on its pedestal by the door and went to go change out of his wet clothes. He once again threw the bee suit into the dryer and put on the shirt and shorts he had been wearing earlier that morning.

He hopped down the stairs and approached the couch to check on his birdie buddy.

"Grian?" X said, walking towards the sofa. He saw his friend in the same place as before, but-

Xisuma stopped in his tracks. He stared at the sleeping hermit in disbelief.

Grian had changed, and it was much more obvious this time.

There was no sweater big enough to hide the fact that he was now 8 feet tall and kind of buff. His wings were full size now, and they were massive.

He looked peaceful, though. Xisuma debated if he should wake him up or not.

Xisuma was a bit freaked out, so he decided to wake him. He went over to his friend and crouched down so that his face was at Grian's eye level. He looked more mature now.

X set his hand on Grian's shoulder and shook him softly. "Uh, Grian-"

The hermit didn't wake up, but he pushed Xisuma away in his sleep. "Mmm idontwannagetup" he mumbled, his voice deeper, and pulled the blanket up. His feet were now completely exposed.

Xisuma tried again. "Grian." He shook him a bit harder this time.

"Nooo" Grian mumbled.

"Grian!" Xisuma gripped the man's muscled shoulder.

The bird opened his eyes sleepily. He sat up and put his face in his hands. "What is it?" he yawned.

Xisuma stood up. "Have you seen yourself lately?"

Grian gave him a quizzical look. He looked a lot less childish now. "What do you-". He stopped as he heard his own voice. "What-"

He looked down at his hands, and jumped back as he saw the rest of himself.

"GAH!" He yelped as he threw the blanket aside and pulled his knees towards his chest.

"I- What- I-" He frantically grabbed at the couch cushions, freaking out. Grian was breathing erratically and his wings were wrapped around his arms.

He looked at Xisuma, panic in his pretty purple eyes. "What the heck is happening-" He whimpered, looking on the verge of tears.

Xisuma stepped towards the couch and sat on his knees in front of his newly-tall friend, who had his back against the arm rest, and his long legs to his chest.

He put his hands on his friend's stiffened shoulders and gave Grian a comforting smile. "I don't know, but I'll help you figure this out, okay?"

Grian nodded worriedly, but relaxed a bit as X gave him that smile.

He was feeling a bit better, until Xisuma's grip tightened and realization set in his eyes. "Oh no-"

"What is it?" Grian started to panic again.

"I think I-...Grian..." X looked at him sympathetically, for his friend would not like the news he was about to break.

Xisuma let go of his shoulders and sat back down. "Grian. Thunderbirds can change their size."

There was a moment of silence as those words processed in G's head. His eyes grew wide and he looked at Xisuma. "N-no."

X looked down. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry..."

"You can't be serious-" Grian grabbed at his own arms as he started to hyperventilate.

"I don't wanna be a bird, I just- I just wanna be me again- I wanna be short, I don't care if I'm short, please, just- I don't like being big, I hate it. I hate this. I hate birds. I hate myself. I wanna be small again-" Grian rambled on as he started to cry.

Xisuma watched in amazement as his friend freaked out. Grian started to shrink back to his ordinary size, his features returning to normal.

But then he kept going.

Grian kept shrinking until he was now the size of a hummingbird. His voice was small and slighter higher than normal. His wings were proportionate to his tiny body and he looked quite adorable, even while panicking.

Xisuma spoke up. "Grian-"

His friend opened his eyes and looked up at the admin, who was huge compared to him now.

"WHAT-" The hermit hopped up and saw that his pleads had come true. A bit too true.

Xisuma cupped the bird in his hands and gently held him up to his face. "It's all going to be alright."

Grian looked into Xisuma's eyes. He never noticed it before, but now that he was so close to his face, they seemed to glitter as well. The purple slightly faded in and out of different subtle tones, much like Prismarine. His freckles twinkled in the firelight and glowed as X gave Grian a comforting look. "╎ℸ ̣  ∴╎ꖎꖎ ᔑꖎꖎ ʖᒷ ᔑꖎ∷╎⊣⍑ℸ ̣ , ᒲ|| ↸ᒷᔑ∷ ⎓∷╎ᒷリ↸" He spoke the foreign language, and his eyes and freckles softly glowed brighter. They illuminated and shimmered, much like Grian's wings.

Grian stood up in Xisuma soft, yet callused, hands and put his tiny palms on X's cheek. The freckles gave off warmth as well.

"Thank you-" Grian whispered, his anxiety not letting him speak up.

Xisuma heard him regardless and gave him a smile. "Did you understand what I said?"

Grian shook his head. "Well, no, but I'm guessing it was nice."

"I said, it'll be alright." X said with a polite laugh. He had a nice laugh.

Grian stepped closer to Xisuma's face and planted a tiny kiss on the end of his nose. The admin smiled sweetly.

"Could you teach me that language? It's pretty." Grian stepped back and sat down in X's hands. He seemed to have calmed down.

Xisuma looked a tad surprised at the request. "Really?"

Grian nodded and wrapped himself in his wings.

"Alrighty then. I'll teach you some later tonight." Xisuma stood up, still holding Grian in his hands.

"Would you like some tea?" he offered.

Grian nodded sleepily. Even though he had just woken up after sleeping the entire day, he still felt tired. He stretched his wings and fluttered up to Xisuma's head. He sat in his soft hair and huddled there, like a bird would do. He was becoming more and more like one.

Xisuma chuckled and pulled out a bee-striped tea kettle.

He filled it with water and began to hum as he set it on the stove. He flicked on the burner and leaned against the counter as he waited for the water to boil.

"So, what is that language?" Grian peeked over Xisuma's head and looked down at him from his hair.

Xisuma looked up at the tiny bird. "It's my, uh, native language."

Grian yawned. "Where are you from?"

X stayed silent for a moment.

"The End."

G paused at the answer. "You're from...the End?"

Xisuma nodded. "I'm an Admin. It's not just a title...it's a race."

Grian sat back down in the fluff. "I-...I never knew that."

Xisuma shrugged. "Most people don't."

His hummingbird pal fluttered up from his head and flew in front of X's face. Xisuma held out his arm for G to perch on.

Grian landed on the scarred arm and ruffled his feathers. "Do you have any family?"

Xisuma looked down at G. His eyes were misty and sad, despite his smile.

"I did." X paused. "Well-" he said in a David Tennant way. "I still do, even if he doesn't want to admit we're family."

Grian waited for his friend to continue.

"My family was my brother and our dad." The void man smiled. "Ex kinda hated me sometimes since Dad would always listen to me. My plans usually involved much less arson." He laughed as he reminisced about his past.

Xisuma went on to describe his dad. "He was pretty kickbutt. Y'know my green armour?"

Grian nodded.

"That was my dad's."

Grian nodded, and then paused. "Wait, I thought that was just the armour from that one game, y'know, Doom."

Xisuma chuckled. "It's not just a game."

Grian's eyes went wide. "WAIT-"

Xisuma's eyes twinkled with mischief.

"YOUR DAD-"

X nodded, stifling a laugh.

"IS DOOMGUY?"

Xisuma smiled a bit sadly. "Well, was Doomguy. His name was Flynn. I think. He had a few different names people called him. William was one of them. I always liked Flynn."

Grian looked down. "I-...I'm sorry."

Xisuma put his finger under Grian's chin and softly lifted his head up. "You don't need to be sorry. It's all fine."

The kettle whistled.

"Tea time." Xisuma winked.

He set Grian down on the counter.

"I'll try to change back." The bird decided.

He closed his eyes and focused on growing bigger. He breathed in and out, trying to keep steady. He felt different.

He opened his eyes and saw he was standing on the kitchen island, normal size.

"You did it!" Xisuma grinned and poured Grian a cup.

"I...I did it." Grian felt proud of himself and hopped off the counter.

"Wait, does this mean that you're Doomguy now?"

Xisumavoid laughed. It felt nice to be called that. He loved his dad.

"Yes."