Grian, admittedly, is often not that good at "yes, and", but it's okay because neither is Scar and the funniest part is when Grian's unstoppable force meets Scar's imovable object, Grian is usually the one that folds and there's just something funny about that to me. Bc when Scar gets an Ideaâą in his head, there is no convincing him away from it, so Grian, who normally just barrels through with plans and impulse moves runs into Scar's plans like a brick wall, and it makes me laugh. Scar can be persuaded unless he decides he will not and Grian can be persuaded any time given the right motivation and unfortunately Scar is Very Good at persuading him.
Sometimes I'm like "haha wouldn't it be funny if Grian was a guy known for being good at a lot of things but he's just shit at baking so he goes to Scar, whos known for being a bit of a failure, bc nobody comes even close to scars baking skills, and then they fall in love through shenanigans?"
And other times I'm like "What if doc was like evil evil and kidnapped people to make 'monsters' of various kinds mad scientist style and everyone he kidnapped suffers body horror and the psychological trials of being trapped with the man who is stripping you of everything you are and his other victims?
What if Grian and Jimmy got nabbed first as Docs first simple experiment of just making bird people, and they maintain their sanity through eachother, but then when they try to escape, Jimmy escapes but Grian gets caught again, and then Doc fucks with Grian's brain to prevent him from escaping again or making a move against him, leaving Jimmy alone and unable to reach out because trauma and also he has wings and shit now so Jimmy goes completely isolated and starts hallucinating Grian who he feels crippling guilt for leaving behind, but Grian is only maintaining his sanity through the reminder that Jimmy at least is out there and free from doc, even as Doc continues to alter Grian's body more and more?
What if Ren got caught next and Doc decided to go for a dog this time instead of a bird, and Grian can't figure out how he feels about Ren who's basically been brought in to replace Jimmy, but then Ren has his sight and hearing taken away at the same time to be altered and while hes healing his only anchors in a world he cannot see or hear are Grian and Doc, and so he forms a trauma induced bond with both of them, and Grian comes to recognize Ren as a pseudo brother similar to Jimmy, except after Ren recovers his sight and hearing, his need for approval and safety drives him to trying to appease doc where Grian constantly fights him, so they start conflicting with eachother in a weird form of jealousy as Ren hates that Grian, as the original and longest going project is treated with more praise and pride despite not wanting it, and Grian is constantly feeling betrayed every time Ren gets approval from Doc because it was supposed to be the two of them against doc, and in Ren's desperate need to be seen as more than just a fucked up project, Doc ends up fucking with his brain even more than Grian basically stripping his ability to think for himself dragging him even further from Grian, but even as this animosity grows, they keep desperately coming together again because they're all they have?
What if Tango found Jimmy and in an effort to help, he investigates what happened to him, despite Jimmy pleading with him not to, and in that investigation gets nabbed by doc to become his fourth monster and Grian tells him to pretend to approve of Doc's plans and stuff so doc won't mess with his brain and he'll eventually have a chance to escape, so Tango has to constantly put on an act and pretend to accept all the body horror inflicted on him just to maintain his own sense of free will, and Ren is there to help him but is so obviously indoctrinated by Doc that he cannot be trusted, and Grian keeps his distance from Tango because he knows if Doc sees him and Tango get along a lot, he'll become suspicious of Tango due to Grian's constant rebellion so Tango also can't turn to Grian, but ultimately the three of them still cling to eachother when things are at the worst because at the end of the day, they're all stuck in the same boat with nothing else to turn to?
And what if despite everything, all of them still had a sometimes positive relationship with Doc because even though Doc is evil, he does care about his monsters and hes charismatic and funny and even Grian gets stockholm syndrome and on their best days they function more like a fucked up family and even have family dinners and communication styles?
Thinking about that one clip of Grian shooting at his dragon and Doc says "dude, are you bored again". Just. The implications.
The implications that 1. based on his tone of voice, this is well within expected Grian behavior, 2. that Grian, at some unknown period before, probably recently, was messing with doc and 3. That when that happened, Grian apparently just gave the excuse that he was bored 4. The fact Grian doesn't answer the question means Doc probably thinks he is, in fact, bored again
On aroace Hotguy: someone getting sent to seduce him for information but he ends up too enamoured with their dog to realize someone is trying to seduce him. (They still get the info.)(Hotguy isn't good at secrets.)(Especially in the face of cute pets.)
*voice of person about to say something youve heard them say a million times and know very well* guys i really like hotguy. he sucks so bad hes really the perfect washed up sold out superhero and that is simply a peak character concept
The worst superhero. Kills people for funsies, will betray his own beliefs for diamonds, half of what he does is just sell merch of himself. But he's hot, so nobody cares. Amazing. 10/10, I love that stupid superhero.
Suddenly vividly recalling Last Life and that time Grian and Scar spent a bunch of time together alone and then later Grian vouched for Scar bc he hadn't made any move against Grian, and yet Scar was in fact the boogeyman and later killed someone, he just chose not to go after Grian during all the time they were alone. Why? Gem knows. :)
Watching scars season 6 first episode and omg grian wanted to be his friend so bad jsbdjsnd I mean, grian wanted to be everyone's friend so bad that season bc he was the New Guy, but seeing grian in the chat be like "plz come over scar, plz, plz come see my base đ" is very cute
Thinking abt that one time Grian was explaining why seals were his favorite animal and part of his reasoning was that the baby seals sometimes look like maggots.
I hate it when people say "not everything has to be romantic" to me abt shipping because like, yea, I know, I'm aromantic. I'm the #1 supporter of shit not being romantic. But it could be. That fight to the death could be romantic. That childhood best friends could be romantic. That years long rivalry could be romantic. It could be, and I don't think you've considered that hard enough.
It was three o'clock when Grian finally got home. The concert ran long, he got caught up in talking to some producer who couldn't take a hint, he ended up having a whole thing trying to get out of his Ariana get up (he was pretty sure those tights were ruined but that was a problem for Future Grian), and then there was the whole thing with Hotguy. So he ended up getting home to the little house with Scar's night flowers in full bloom, exhausted and hoping neither of his roommates noticed how long he'd been gone.
His plans to sneak in quietly were quickly dashed, however, when a taxi rolled up and he watched Scar climb out of the back with his gym bag. At 3 o'clock in the morning. Judging by the way Scar froze as soon as he spotted Grian, he also wasn't expecting to run into him at 3 o'clock in morning.
âWhat are you doing out?â Grian whisper-shouted at Scar as though he could somehow wake up Mumbo from outside.
Eyes going wide like a deer caught in headlights, Scar stammered through a few unintelligible words before a look of realization followed by offense crossed his face. âYou're out too! What are you doing out?â He kept his voice to a loud whisper as well.
The whole situation felt surreal, especially after the night Grian had. The two of them standing outside their house badly whispering accusations at each other at 3 o'clock in the damn morning. He pinched at the bridge of his nose with a sigh. âYou know what? It doesn't matter. I'm so tired. Let's just go inside and go to bed and pretend like none of this ever happened.â
Scar's shoulders dropped in relief as he gave a quiet little âyes please,â and Grain finally took the time to notice the signs of exhaustion also clinging to Scar, along with, weirdly enough, a new bandage on his jaw.Â
Frowning at the sign of yet another new injury, Grain made a mental note to himself to ask Scar about it in the morning when they weren't both dead on their feet. For the time being, he turned his attention to unlocking the door, hearing Scar come up behind him, and they both slunk into the house hoping not to wake up until noon the next day.
Unfortunately, those plans were once again squandered as they entered the living room to find Mumbo, with concerning bags under his eyes, awake and muttering in front of his laptop. The lights were out so the only thing illuminating him was the flickering light of the muted TV.
Scar and Grian exchanged equally concerned looks before Scar called out a hesitant, âMumbo?â
Startling like someone had broken a plate, Mumbo pressed back into the couch, wide eyes staring at the other two, before recognition finally kicked in and a manic joy overtook his face. âOh brilliant, you two are home. You'll never guess what happened!â
That was all Grian needed to hear to know why Mumbo was up, and taking a few steps forward so he could see the TV confirmed it for him. There on the news was the footage of Hotguy literally crashing his concert. Admittedly, from the distant angle of the camera, it was a lot funnier than it had been in person, but Grian still frowned at the reminder.
He looked over at Scar to find Scar also looked vaguely displeased with the TV broadcast, which seemed a bit strange to Grian but he was always happy to have company in misery.Â
âIs this about-?â Scar started but didn't get far before Mumbo interrupted.
âI was watching the live broadcast of the Griande concert and just look!â Mumbo gestured wildly to the TV, âHe was there! Muscles and everything!â
Once again, Grian and Scar exchanged equal looks, this time ones of weary exasperation.
âThere's been no report on why he was there at all! No report on nearby criminal activity, or bomb threats or anything! So you know what I think?â
âHe was there watching the concert?â Grian deadpanned.
âPrecisely! It's the only explanation!â
âIt's really not.â Scar tried.
âBah.â Mumbo waved them both off and went back to watching the silent TV. âYou two know nothing.â
Grian rolled his eyes. Right. He knew nothing. Being the one Hotguy almost landed on and everything, he knew nothing. It was moments like those that Grian was really tempted to just give up on the whole secret thing. It seemed rather unfair that he could have his life flash before his eyes as the city's resident hero crashed through the roof of his stage and barely managed not to crush him, just for Mumbo to stand there and tell him he knew nothing.
Beside him, Scar sighed. âMumbo,â He started with that gentle tone he tried to use to let someone down easy, âHotguy, he's a very busy guy you know. Lots of saving the city to do. I just really don't think he would be spending that time watching a concert. Even a Griande concert.â
Mumbo shook his head stubbornly. âHotguy is just a man. He can have hobbies and interests, Scar. He can't spend all his time saving the city, besides! Look at this!â With that, he spun his laptop around on the folding table to show Grian and Scar the video he had pulled up.
As he restarted it, Grian watched, with a weird sense of vertigo, an outside perspective of his conversation with Hotguy on the stage. After almost crushing Grian, the hero had immediately shot up and helped Grian to his feet with a quiet but panicked apology. Grian's mic had been muted as soon as the crash happened (he loved his stage manager), so the video Mumbo showed didn't have any audio of the actual conversation.
A conversation that mostly entailed Hotguy apologizing profusely and trying desperately to excuse himself, except in his panic he wasn't making a whole lot of sense and Grian had been focused on getting the poor hero to stop looking so guilty, like he'd personally shot Grian with an arrow. Pretty quickly, the conversation wrapped up with Hotguy giving one last apology, saying something about 'ceiling rascalsâ and running off, leaving Grian standing alone on the stage trying to figure out what happened.
Without the audio context though, Grian could, much to his chagrin, kind of see why Mumbo had gotten so excited. Grian's attempts at getting Hotguy to calm down and assuring him seven different times that, no, he was not hurt, looked like Ariana giving very gentle reassurances to a panicking hero. They were standing very close, on account of Hotguy almost falling on top of him, and at some point Grian had apparently put his hand on Hotguy's chest (he didn't remember that, whoops).
âAnd watch this!â Mumbo spoke up again excitedly as Hotguy ran off the stage in the video. âLook at the way she watched him leave! That's pure pining if I've ever seen it.â He declared.
Grian would more describe it as being thoroughly knocked off his boat and staring at a retreating hero trying to figure out if that really just happened and also worried that there were evidently ceiling rascals afoot. But sure. Pining. âAlright Mumbo, if you say so.â He sighed. âYou enjoy your-,â he waved vaguely at everything Mumbo was doing, âthat. Me and Scar are going to bed. Don't stay up too late.â
With that, Grian turned to head to his room, following after Scar who'd started retreating pretty much as soon as Grian started talking. He heard a, âWhat time is it? It's three-!â before he finally shut his door behind him. Dropping his backpack, he flopped onto his bed, barely taking time to kick off his shoes. Rather than move any further, he just grabbed the comforter around him and wrapped himself up like a burrito so he could finally sleep.
He'd deal with everything tomorrow. Mumbo's renewed snipping kick, whatever that bandage on Scar was, and hopefully finally figuring out what Hotguy had been doing in the first place, but for now, he was going to go to sleep, and not wake up for at least 12 hours. He'd earned it.
Today I was exposed to Mumbo being a fan of Arianna Griande without knowing she's Grian and now I desperately need the sitcom of Mumbo, Scar, and Grian all being roomates and Mumbo is The Biggest Fan of HoTGuY and Arianna and both Scar and Grian are like ",,,, that's great buddy"
Whether or not they know about eachother's secret identities I have yet to decide. Depends on what's funnier tbh
To Add: Mumbo is a diehard hotguy/arianna shipper and is CONSTANTLY trying to get Grian and Scar to see it and ship it with him. He has yet to convince them.
To Add to the Adding: it'd be really funny if they were dating but pretended like Mumbo was totally crazy for thinking anything is between their personas. Arianna literally kisses HoTGuY on the cheek and Mumbo is like "See????" While both Scar and Grian just go ":/ idk, that seemed pretty platonic to me" and then laugh with eachother bc they specifically did it to bait Mumbo
I love doc. He's so unashamedly a villain. He is out here living his best damn life and I love that for him. You go man, terrorize that server, torture that dyslexic man, you deserve it
*staring blankly into the distance* do you ever think about the constant give and take of control within scarian and how they not only both often battle for control but also willingly give it up to the other without ever being asked? And how there's a certain level of trust there and an underlying sense of 'I would be anyone so long as I have a place in your story' in it?
If Grian: it's grian getting progressively more distressed bc Scar decided to carry Grian around while he thinks of his wishes and Grian keeps seeing all the nonsense of Scar's life and goes from "Im totally gonna trick this guy" to "plz wish for me to fix your life. Plz. Plz scar I can't take this any more. Just make your wishes. Scar stop trying to do that just make a wish."
If Scar: It's Grian trying to be smart and make wishes that Scar can't genie mess up except it's scar and he can mess up anything he wants to, he doesn't need reason, so he just keeps going to fuck with Grian and keeps giving Grian more wishes bc he's enjoying ragebaiting him so much
Randomly imagined a scene where Mister Wizard is unconscious and instead of magically healing him, Max gives him a kiss to wake him up, and rolls a nat. 20 in persuasion (to everyoneâs shock) so it worksâŠI donât even know what part of my brain dragged that up but ngl I can see itâŠ
THEYRE OUT HERE DISNEY MOVIE-ING IT UPPP this is so funny. i absolutely love those true love/magic kiss of life tropes and eat them up every time and ive been thinking about that for a while it just fits them so well hskjdhksds it's perfect
"He's not dead; he's faking." Max rolled his eyes, arms crossed and one foot tapping impatiently.
Ruby, still gripping at one of Mr. Wizard's shoulders to keep him sitting on the wagon's bench, frowned up at him. "He doesn't have to be dead to need healing, Max. Look at him, he's passed out."
"No he's not." Max insisted.
"I don't know," Bro interjected, the words dragging, "he looks pretty passed out to me."
Max threw his arms up. "Fine. Don't believe me? Watch, I'll fix him without even a cantrip." He stormed up to the prone body, grabbed at Mr. Wizard's collar, and slammed his lips against the other's.
Mr. Wizard immediately jerked to life with a quick breath, and as Max pulled away, the wizard stared back at him with wide eyes and a rapidly building blush underneath the probably-fake beard.
"Ta-da." Max monotoned before swiftly turning away from him and walking around the wagon to get in. "He's healed. You're welcome. Now if we could all get on the wagon and go, that'd be wonderful."
Behind him he heard a quiet "Oh dear." come from the exposed wizard as he crawled into the cover box. And if Max also had a small blush? That was just the satisfaction of proving his point right.
