<<You know how I said I'd make a chapter with 2K words? Wellll, I may or may not have written almost 5K words. Happy oops I guess? Anyways, enjoy this!>>

Grian was in a really happy mood today. He'd had a wonderful morning, having gotten a full eight hours of sleep, and it felt like a good day in general. His mood only increased when he meet Iskall and Mumbo in the reception area of Sahara, all three of them laughing at his "Gertrude the receptionist" voice. Not that his mama sounded anything like the voice he'd use, but a calm motherly voice wasn't a very good old lady receptionist, now was it? No it wasn't, so he kept to the voice that he felt fit more.

But he should have known better, things don't go up and stay up forever. They go up and they then go down, all that was different was how quick it would fall back down. And that was pretty damn fast today it seems.

It started simple enough, joking around about the horrible door Iskall made, then it turned to building. They agreed that Iskall and Mumbo would follow Grian's instructions on what to place where, but then Grian went and brought up him helping doing the redstone. Because that always ended well for him, didn't it?

His eyes who had been shining the entire day dulled as Iskall broke the door (the only way to get out of the shut door) as he and Mumbo walked out, Mumbo muttering "No"s all the while. His eyes lost all shine as Iskall shut the door on him, and walked away from him.

The beginning of tears burned at the corner of his eyes as the two walked off. Did they think so little of him that they didn't even trust him to place a few blocks? Did they really think he couldn't even follow simple instructions? What had he done to deserve such a bad redstone reputation? He had told everyone when he joined how a blind baby could do better redstone than him, but he didn't think they'd take it that seriously. (He chooses to ignore the fact that the first time he did redstone on the server it exploded, it was one time and it shouldn't count)

He huffed and blinked away the tears, as much as their actions hurt him he wouldn't let them control him. His mama told him to always keep his head held high, and his mama was usually always right.

So with a new resolve he broke down the door and jogged over to his fellow Architech's, a smile on his face that was reflected by the other two. And soon they were off building, and Grian relaxed. He remembers how his mama said that one upside with him being cursed was that he would relax more since he was more relaxed when building, but we all know it just made him sleep deprived instead since all his focus was on building instead of thinking up new contraptions in his head.

He almost walked of the unfinished roof when a sudden idea came to his mind, would he maybe break some of the curse if he looked at his old redstone idea book? Perhaps he wouldn't be able to build any of it, but maybe if he tried to deconstruct it in his head or on paper something would come to him. It wasn't much, and it might not even work, but it was all he had. So with that in thought he returned to building, a newfound determination fouling him to finish faster.

All three worked hard for six long hours, thought it felt more like only three for Grian, might be the builder in him focusing on building instead of time.

They said their goodbyes, Grian flying off and leaving Mumbo and Iskall at Sahara to work on the redstone.

Mumbo was watching his short friend leave with a frown, something was off with the dirty blond... But what? He turned to his Swedish friend for help to answer said question.

"Maybe he's sick?" Guessed Iskall, "You know him best, so if you don't know why then I'm not sure anyone will."

Mumbo was still concerned, but his shoulders were less tense, "Maybe." muttered the mustached man, turning he walked into the white structure with a Shulker of supplies that will be needed in hand.

As those two worked away Grian sat on the ground floor of his base with his old redstone book in front of him and a new book next to him. He had decided to dismantle the contraption in his head first and rebuild it there before doing the same thing again but on paper this time.

He was currently working on a hidden staircase and it was all going fairly well, even if it took awhile he eventually figure out what needed to be done and why it was done. He hadn't had progress like this for years. So he was very happy when he went off to bed, his spirits almost as high as they were this morning. He was so happy that he even went to bed at a reasonable time, 1AM precisely, for him at least. But in his happiness he forgot to put away his redstone book, so it was still laying open in the middle of the floor. Which would have been fine if not Doc coming by early the next morning to find it.

He looked at it confused, what was this doing here? He picked it up and looked through it his confusion only growing. Why does Grian have this? Doc figures that Grian's trying to learn redstone, but who's book is it? It can't be Grian's, and it's not like any redstone book he'd ever seen in any store, and trust me he'd seen a lot of those, so it must belong to another Hermit. He closed the book and put it in one of the pockets of his lab coat, the 5A book fitting in perfectly, but it was a bit tight with how stuffed with papers the book is. He'd come to regret taking the book later, but at the moment he thought he was returning stolen property (because no sane person would give Grian redstone related stuff, he thought at the time) instead of stealing property he himself.

He flew off to Xisuma's base, hoping that the admin would be there. And to Doc's luck he was, but he wasn't alone. EX stood opposite of the green clad Hermit, and the two seemed to be in an argument judging by EX's tone.

"If you didn't take it then who did?!" Growled EX, an accusing finger pointed at his twin, "Your the only one who both knows where my base is and that I had that book to begin with, so where is it?"

"Don't ask me!" Hissed X, shoulders raised and tense, "Maybe you just lost it?"

"As if!" Shouted EX, "I wouldn't lose that book if I turned blind, someone must have stolen it!"

It was now that Doc decided to interrupt, "What book?"

Both Void's snapped their heads towards him, angry yet slightly shocked eyes visible through X's visor, and Doc's confused expression reflected on EX's visor. Xisuma recovered first.

"EX lost his book, and now he's saying that I stole it. Which I didn't." said X, a glare directed at his Twin. EX glared right back at him.

A sudden thought hit Doc as he looked down at his pocket with the book he found in Grian's base, maybe... "Was it red and stuffed with papers? Asked Doc, his long ears twitching slightly. But only slightly.

"It was." confirmed EX, tone calmer than before.

The creeper took the book from his pocket and held it up, "Is this your book?"

"It is! Where did you find it?" Asked the red clad Void, quickly walking up and snatching the book from the tall cyborg's hand. If he'd checked it a bit closer he would have seen the label his book had on the front missing, but he wasn't focusing on that at the moment so it went unnoticed by him.

"Grian's base." replied Doc with a shrug.

"Grian's base?" Asked EX confused.

Thinking that the albino didn't know who Grian was Doc started telling him, "Grian's a new Hermit who lives close by and he-"

"I know who he is." interrupted EX a bit rudely, "I just didn't expect him to steal something."

"You clearly don't know Grian then." snorted Doc, arms now crossed.

Instead of answering him EX took off from his brothers base, headed right for Grian's towering build. Thoughts danced around his head as he grew closer, Why would Grian steal his book? The guy was raised and trained by a witch, so why would he need a spell book. A spell book of spells that he wouldn't even be able to use no less. He shook his head as he flew into the base gracefully, his black-and-red painted elytra taking him safely down to the concrete floor. He called out for Grian, but there was no response. So he called again and this time he was answered. But instead of it being the short Hermit who answered him it was instead the flapping of small wings. EX was confused until a leucistic macaw with blue tipped wing and tail feathers flew from the hole that stretched through the base.

"Void, where is Grian?" It was weird to call a bird by his own last name, but he wasn't going to give Grian's most loved bird a nickname without having snacks at hand for said bird, and even then he would still be cautious.

The white bird let out a small thrill as she ducked her head towards the base entrance that EX just arrived through.

Ah, so he was out. Great, that meant he had to wait for the dirty blond to get back. He detached the elytra from his back and safety put it away before deciding to look at his book as he waited for Grian. And he stopped as he saw the first page, in bold letters stood; Grian X. Lyra. This wasn't his book, it was Grian's! Which meant two things, one was that his book was still missing, and two was that the reason Grian was out was because he was looking for this book, at least he thinks that's why.

The Void took out his communicator and sent a text to Grian telling him to come back. After making sure that Grian was on his way back he started looking through the book, even though he probably shouldn't have. And to say that he was amazed would be an understatement, he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing. On every page he saw redstone builds with notes on how they worked and what they did crammed in between the pages. They started at childlike sketches of simple color changing beacons and moved up to still slightly childlike sketches of specific item furnace systems (I don't know, just imagine redstone stuff that a preteen/teen could make if he had a magical gift for redstone) that where rows long. Each page amazed the red eyed man, a little fact that no one knew about him was that he hated building redstone stuff but he loved redstone contraptions. So seeing these things, that he was sure worked like melted butter down a vertical wall, almost made his mouth water.

He was brought out of his little stupor by the sound of gently flapping wings, Grian was here. He looked up to see the most perfect sight he could imagine, and time seemed to slow just to let him witness it for longer. Grian was in the middle of the base entrance, beautiful copper wings stretched to the fullest, and the sun was shining brightly behind him basking Grian in an ethereal glow, making the already soft looking Hermit seem even more so. Grian's violet eyes shone as they gazed at EX, and that above all else made his cheeks take on a light dusting of pink, a dopey smile forming along with it. It was then that time decided to turn back to normal, allowing Grian to land.

"Hi EX!" Said Grian happily, his hair slightly ruffled from his flight, "You said you needed to see me?"

EX pushed all thoughts of how wonderful Grian looked to the back of his mind as he responded, "Uh, yes I did! I believe this is yours? It-it has your name on it so I can only assume it is." damn you Grian! Stop looking so cute! It's hard to form sentences when you do!

Grian's eyes seemed to brighten impossibly more as EX held out the red book, Grian's red book. He quickly, but oh so gently, took the book from the Void, "It is! I've been looking all morning for it!" He turned a wide, teeth filled smile towards EX, "Where did you find it?"

"D-Doc had it, I thought it was mine so I took it. But I then looked inside and saw your name, so I came here to return it." said EX, proud of himself for only stuttering a little in the beginning.

Grian huffed a little at the mention of Doc taking his book, EX found it adorable, especially with how his fringe got ruffled by the exhale of air. But Grian's blinding smile was soon back on, "Thank you. I'm pretty sure Doc would put up quite a fight with me for this, so thank you so much for giving this back to me!"

"No problem." said EX softly, voice sincere, "I'm happy I could help."

He expected that to be it, that Grian would bid him goodbye and then EX would leave to go back to his base or something. But what he wasn't expecting was a hug from Grian, but that's exactly what happened. And if this was what it felt like to be held by/hold Grian then he wanted to cuddle the winged Hermit to the end of days, it was so firm yet oh so gentle and soft. He squeezed the shorter man and was rewarded with a little giggle, and looking down he could see the tip of Grian's tongue sticking out between sharp teeth. He almost wanted to cry, Grian was to damn adorable for this world.

EX quietly whined when Grian ended the hug, wanting more hugs and love.

Grian seemed to have heard him as he let out a slight chuckle, "Sorry, but I have to go help Doc and Ren go find the Jangler." giggled Grian. But he stopped giggling and looked into EX's eyes (how did he see them through the visor? Or did he just guess?) a toothy smile still on his face, "I'll see you around I hope?"

"You will." promised EX, if it was too himself or to Grian he couldn't tell.

And with one final goodbye he was off, flying to chase cookies with a creeper and wolf. As soon as Grian was out of sight EX sat down with a deep happy sigh, a deep blush covering his covered cheeks. Why did he act like that? He was usually so cool and collected when talking to the Hermits, he was so when he saw Grian all those times before, but why not now?

'You finally registered that you love him, fool' that was what kept flying around his head. But it couldn't possibly be so, he'd know himself if he loved Grian, it must just be a silly idea to explain away what he was feeling!

But the more he thought about it, the more it seemed possible. And eventually he muttered into the empty base (if you discard all the birds there), "Holy shit, I love Grian..."

He let out a little laugh as it sunk in, "I love Grian!"

Void let out a happy thrill, wings flapping happily. The bird enthusiasm only made EX laugh louder, the bird seemed to agree with him it seems! And he wanted everyone to agree with him, he just figured out he was in love for god's sake! Why wouldn't he want people to agree with him? He picked up the bird gently and started dancing around lightly, carefully as to not hurt her, and all the while he was happily chanting, "I love him! I love him!"

He continued to dance for a few more minutes before the high of figuring out he was in love went down and he sat down on the floor panting. Sitting also allowed him to think about his discovery and what to do. He knew he loved Grian, and he knew he definitely wanted to get together with him. But how? And did Grian even love him to begin with?

He frowned at that last one, did he? A relationship is a two way street, both had to love each other for it to work. Void seemed to sense what he was feeling and gently rubbed her head against his chest as she let out soothing thrills. EX smiled down at the bird, a thought hitting him. Why not ask her? "Hey Void, can you answer my question? Its a yes or no one, you know how to do those right?"

The bird nodded and he took this as a sign that she both knew and was ready, "Alright, do you think Grian loves me?"

Void nodded up and down multiple times at that, seemingly trying to agree over and over. EX laughed at her many head bobs, "Ok, ok! I get it, he loves me back. Thank you for telling me." Void puffed out her chest at the praise.

He might not fully trust the white and blue bird on this, but the avians overdramatic response made some of his worries disappeared. He'd let this happen naturally, if he found a perfect moment to ask Grian out then he would. Until then he'd just spend time with the dirty blond and enjoy his company. Either way he'd spend time with the guy he was in love with, so it was a win either way but one was more desirable for him then the other was.

EX kept his promise to Grian, and for the next few weeks the two hung out. Both enjoyed the other's company and would regularly just meet out if pure instinct it seemed. As time went on EX started to notice something, the Hermits kinda treated Grian like they treated him.

Ok, maybe that's a little harsh and slightly untrue, but it was there. Not overall of course! Goodness gracious no! The Hermits loved the small dirty blond to bits, but they absolutely didn't trust him with redstone. And quite frankly they were quite rude about it, unintentionally so but still rude. They acted like he'd destroy all the servers redstone if he even tried to make a small piston door. Sure, pondered EX, Grian had told them that he sucked at redstone, and the first thing he tried to make on Hermitcraft blew up in his face. But he obviously knows how to make redstone stuff, if the book he gave back to Grian was anything to go by. There was obviously something that happened, and EX wanted to know what.

Yes, he decided, he'd ask Grian about it someday when the time was right. That ended up happening quicker than he expected, but let's explain exactly what happened.

It was almost a month after the day he discovered he loved Grian that it happened. He had asked the dirty blond for some help, some redstone help to be exact. Grian had certainly been shocked, but judging by an excited winged Hermit barreling into his base with a wide smile and bright eyes Grian certainly didn't mind.

EX showed him deep into his base, he had ask Grian to help design and make a mini storage system and he was currently showing the way to where he wanted it to be placed. He remembers he wanted to ask Grian about the whole redstone thing, so why not ask now?

"Hey Grian? Can I ask you a question?" Asked EX, making the smaller look up from his work to look at him.

"Sure!" Smiled Grian putting away his materials to properly look at EX, "Ask away."

EX fidgeted slightly, toying with his helmet that he had taken off a little while ago, "How come your so good at redstone, yet when you got here you said you sucked at it?" He looked the dirty blond in the eyes, violet meeting scarlet, "Did something happen?"

Grian's face went blank, but his eyes danced with emotion. Sadness, anger (very little) and even fear all flashed in the usually bright eyes. Grian seemed to have an internal battle with himself before letting out a resigned sigh and answering quietly, "When I was younger I was a master at redstone, and sure I made useful contraptions but I mostly made small traps." EX turned his full attention to the shorter, this was important (no duh). Grian let out a sad little chuckle as he continued, eyes trained blankly on a wall behind EX, "Some people didn't particularly like my skills and what I used them for. Some-" his voice cracked, old memories flooding his mind once again, "Someone decided to stop it all, and no he didn't try to kill me calm down EX." said Grian, noticing despite looking at the wall how the albino tensed up, most likely thinking about someone trying to kill him. The scarred man relaxed at that, but only minimally, "He did some curse on me, took all my redstone knowledge."

Grian turned to finally look EX in the eyes, the beginning of tears in the corners of his eyes, "So yeah, something happened."

"I'm guessing the curse has broken or is breaking?" Guessed EX quietly.

Grian didn't give a verbal answer, but his nod was answer enough. A silence spread over the two, and in a split moment EX made a decision.

"My real name is Xeres."

Grian blinked as he looked at the other, puzzled. But Xeres could tell Grian appreciated him telling him something personal, "Not that I don't appreciate you telling me, but why did you?"

"You told me something personal about yourself, your deepest and most hidden secret." shrugged EX, "So I did the same, no one knows my name except Xiusma." a gentle smile was directed towards Grian, "Well, him and you now."

The albino man had no time to react before a small shape had launched itself into his arms, by instinct he wrapped his strong arms around the small Hermit who now sat in his arms. Grian muttered a quite "Thank you for telling me." before falling silent in his arms once more, and soon soft snoring filled the room.

Xeres moved from standing in the middle of the room with Grian in his arms to his bedroom, laying the sleep man down on his bed. He moved to take his arms away but Grian latched onto his arm and wouldn't let him get away, his grip tightening anytime EX moved to get away. Eventually surrendering to his fate he laid down on the bed next to the sleeping Hermit, almost immediately Grian snuggles up to him with a content sigh leaving the dirty blonds lips. Xeres flushed red as Grian snuggles up to his chest, arms hesitantly wrapping around the smaller.

He hesitated for a few seconds before whispering a quite, "I love you." he then closed his eyes and fell asleep himself. The next morning he woke up to an empty bed with a note laying where Grian once was saying, "I love you too, see you at the Country Club at 6PM for our date -Love, Grian"

He was pretty sure people in the end cities could hear him when happily ran around his base chanting "He loves me back! He loves me back!" He only stopped when Nox, his mahogany ball python, started hissing very loudly. Nox wasn't a snake that hissed often, so the sound made EX quite down. And when he quieted down the hissing stopped. He glared at the snake for a few seconds before his face lost the glare and he started giggling like a schoolgirl, he had a date! With Grian! He couldn't be happier!

Xeres spent all day getting ready, thinking and rethinking what he should do and say. What type of flowers should he give him? Should he even give Grian flowers to begin with? What should he wear? Casual? Slightly formal? He had no idea. So, basically he was having a love panic.

He somehow got himself together in time for the date, which was a miracle he was eternally thankful for, deciding to go casual. He decided to wear a gray vest with a black shirt underneath, black dress pants and his normal shoes, his helmet was on but he would take that off on the date so he chose to have his white hair up in a bun. He took a rose as a gift and headed to the Country Club, butterflies fluttering around in his stomach all the while.

He arrived around fifteen minutes before the date started so he used that time to fix himself up, straightening his clothes and freeing his hair from his helmet and fixing it to look the best it can. Grian soon arrived himself, dressed in a light blue shirt with a navy cardigan on top, casual black pants and his normal shoes finishing the look. In his hand was a red tulip, and if he looked closer he could see a few spots of brighter red. He must of been doing some redstone, mussed EX.

"You look lovely." said Xeres softly, handing Grian the rose as he himself accepted the tulip.

"You don't look half bad yourself." quipped Grian, bumping his shoulder gently against EX's. He looked down at EX's boots with a tiny frown, "But you need better shoes, and by that I mean you need shoes that aren't boots."

"There all I have that aren't flip flops." admitted the albino abashed, a hand rubbing the back of his neck.

Grian shook his head amused, shoulders shaking slightly with small giggles he tried to hide, "We'll fix that, I'll make them myself if I have to even."

"Really? You'd do that for me?" Asked EX shocked, no one had offered something like that to him before!

"Of course I would!" Answered the dirty blond with a smile, eyes shining, "Now, are you ready for a golf date?"

"Nearly, I just have to do one little thing first." said EX, taking the rose from Grian's hand before tucking it in behind Grian's ear. Once satisfied with that, he took the tulip he himself was holding and placed it in the breast pocket of his vest, "There, now I'm done! Let's go golf."

They picked up their equipment and headed off to the first hole. Grian shot first and he missed the hole by a hair, making the winged Hermit groan loudly. He groaned even louder when EX made a hole-in-one. And so they continue to play, some subtle cheating from EX being involved at times. If any one asked he'd say he did it because he thought Grian would use his wings, in actuality he just wanted to win really bad. At the end of it all Grian ended up winning by a few points, much to the dirty blonds joy.

"You might have won the game, but I won something else." said EX confidently, a smirk on his lips.

"Oh? And what is that?" Asked Grian with a raised eyebrow.

"This." said the white haired man, before placing his arms around the shorter and dipping him down and kissing him on the lips. The violet eyed Hermit was frozen for a few seconds before melting into the kiss himself, wrapping his own arms around EX.

The kiss only lasted for a few seconds, but to the two it felt like an eternity, and in the good way eternity. EX was the first to break away panting slightly, his red eyes blinked open to be met with the violet eyes of Grian. He let the smirk glide back on his face as he softly said, "Told you I won."

"Oh I believe you." said Grian, equally as softly, "But I'm about to one up you."

"Really? And how will you do that?" Asked Xeres, bumping his nose against the others nose playfully.

"By asking you to be my boyfriend." replied Grian, a small smirk on his face, "So will you be my boyfriend, Xeres Void?"

"I'd love nothing more." and then he leaned in for another kiss, this one lasting longer than the first.

That night both of them went to bed feeling happier than they ever had before, they had finally found someone who loved them. Two outcast, both not by their own choice fully or outcast in the common way for one, who had found each other. And for once they didn't feel so alone.

EX had someone who cared about him and wanted to spend time with him, someone who didn't judge him from what his twin had nicknamed him. Grian had someone who believed in his redstone abilities, some who didn't just take past happenings and judging him from that. So all in all they had found someone, and neither could be happier for it.

(EX later found his book in Nox's tank. He still has no clue how it got there)

<<Due to some things happening I haven't been able to get this out, but I finally have! So I hope you all enjoyed this part of the RDP series, it's probably my favorite yet!

I have to go make everyone from my one-shot book interested in this now, so have a wonderful time everyone!

Little edit: Changed Nox from a super cinnamon  to a mahogany after I did some research into the morph, I was just gonna leave it but since I'm making more parts I'm changing it>>