Commercial breaks are little stories/oneshots that are canon to the storyline but aren't a part of this book's plot.

This takes place the day after 'Grian's Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day'

CWs/TWs: panic attack, PTSD, mentioned abuse

.•°*°•.

"Hey, Grian," Mumbo said by his locker, waving the nervous boy over. "Is that Grumbot? Did you finish the formulas?"

Grian laughed nervously, avoiding eye contact by looking down at the box in his arms. "I, uh, yeah... Th-this is Grumbot," he said, whispering something about wanting to melt into a puddle, then took a deep breath. "I..." He paused and looked up at Mumbo, then sobbed. "I can't do this-" He shoved the box at Mumbo and turned around. "I'm really sorry," he whispered, then ran off.

You're the worst boyfriend. I'm trying my hardest. Your best isn't good enough. I didn't break it. But you didn't protect it either.

Grian stopped at his locker and covered his ears.

This is all your fault. I'm sorry- Sorry doesn't change what happened. But- Your apologies are worthless. He won't care. He's going to be angry with you, he'll hate you.

"I said I'm sorry," Grian whispered.

Why should that matter? Why should Mumbo care that you're "sorry" when you destroyed something he worked so hard on? He'll hate you forever.

"Grian, are you okay?"

Grian jumped and turned around to face his boyfriend, cowering against his locker. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he sobbed, letting himself fall to the floor. "I know you won't care and I hurt you so bad, I'm so sorry- I'm so sorry-"

Mumbo shook his head in confusion. "What are you talking about?" he asked. "You never hurt me."

"But I broke Grumbot," Grian wailed. "It's all my fault, It's all my fault- I'm a bad boyfriend. I'm so-" He gasped when Mumbo reached toward him and tried to get farther away, though he was trapped by his locker. "Please don't hit me, I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!"

Mumbo paused. "I would never hit you," he said firmly.

Fuck, he's angry- "I'm sorry..."

Mumbo knelt next to Grian, ignoring the ringing bell. "What's going on?" he asked softly, and Grian sobbed harder. "Grian..."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-"

"Why are you sorry?" Mumbo asked.

Grian shook his head. "I broke Grumbot, I'm sorry."

"How did you break it?"

Grian cried again, and Mumbo reached forward to hug him.

"I'm not mad," Mumbo said. "How did you break it?"

Grian hiccuped. "I- J-Joey took- took it a-and he- he- he smashed it-"

"So, you didn't break it, then," Mumbo said. "If Joey was the one who smashed it, why did you say you where the one that broke it?"

"Be-because I let him do it," Grian wailed, grasping tightly to Mumbo's shirt. "I let him, there was nothing I could do."

Mumbo laughed a bit. "Honey, that's a little contradicting," he said gently. "How could you let him but not have a choice? It sounds like it wasn't your fault at all."

Grian buried his face in Mumbo's neck. "I'm such a bad boyfriend..."

"You're not a bad boyfriend," Mumbo said. "I don't know what happened, but it sounds like Joey stole Grumbot from you and broke it. Meaning it wasn't your fault and you didn't break it." He pulled away enough to cup Grian's face in his hands. "So why are you sorry?"

"Because I ruined your project."

"My project?" Mumbo blinked. "Babe, it wasn't just mine. It was ours."

"You worked so hard on it.."

Mumbo smiled gently. "And so did you," he whispered. "It's just as much your project as it is mine, and you worked just as hard as I did."

Grian shook his head.

"Yes-"

"No-"

"Yes, Grian."

"No, I'm lazy, I didn't do anything-"

"Grian you worked so hard on designing it-"

"But-"

"Grian."

The two of them stopped and stared at each other for a moment before Grian started to cry again.

"You didn't do anything wrong, love," Mumbo said, then he kissed Grian's forehead, which made Grian blush.

"You don't hate me?" Grian asked meekly.

"Not at all." Mumbo's smile softened even more, making Grian melt into him again, and Mumbo held onto Grian as tightly as he could. "Not a single bit."