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chapter twenty-seven of e/l featherstorm [working title], enemies/lovers convexian heroverse shenanigans co-authored by @varanere00 and myself let's go see what Grian's up to- enjoy!

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Still heaving with exertion from his crazily acrobatic flight, Grian lands on his apartment's landing pad style balcony. Wings quivering, he punches in the code to the door, flopping onto the couch as soon as he's in range.

He needed that.

Covering his face and kicking his legs in the air, Grian screams every decibel he's had to hold in because of stupid fae ears and high altitude breathlessness. His soundproofing can take it, he's made sure of that.

The lump of his cherry presses into his chest, a pea through a hundred mattresses, to his mind. To his heart.

For the first time since he left for patrol before the storm, he's home. That should be a relief. Should be normal.

Instead, it feels surreal. Lights too bright, couch too soft. His mask too loud as it clatters to the ground. Like he's in a fishbowl.

Even the colors of his own wings feel too vivid, too brightly displayed. Darting across the room Grian hits every active lightswitch, covers every window, until he's plunged into as much darkness as he can manage midday.

The pounding of his feet on the ground is real, talons not digging in out of habit. In the dark, Grian lets his body do as it will, melting and roiling and reshaping into nonsense blurbles of flesh. Anything to get the lingering jittery feeling out of his bones. Can't be jittery if he doesn't have bones, right?

In the dark, as a blob of flesh, he finally feels like he can breathe. Like he can think.

He left Scar with Vex. Vulnerable. Bound.

Bound by Grian's own hand.

Why doesn't that make him nervous? Scared?

In place of fear, there's giddy anticipation. Excitement.

Eyes that can see in the dark ripple open as his cherry rises from where he'd kept it safe in his middle, taking it in from every angle.

Vex.

Vex is courting him.

He is courting Vex. Actively. Consciously. He made that choice. After Vex saved him, and patched up his wing. Cared for him so sweetly.

Was it a coincidence that he had landed on Vex's roof? Or had some innate sense even Grian wasn't aware of brought him homing-home to safe harbor?

Vex, who looked so sickly guiltridden over having to use his phasing on Grian even just once, just to keep the hypothermia from claiming Grian. Sounded so shattered, as Vex described his reaction, that Grian does not himself remember clearly.

Every moment of Grian fighting him, struggling, lashing out, and Vex had still cared for Grian to the best of his ability.

Not like Grian can say that Vex can't handle him at his worst, anymore. Not when he has this proof.

Proof that Vex actually cares. For whatever sky-forsaken reason, he does. He does care.

Cares so much he studied avian culture, for Grian.

Vex and Scar both, independently, choosing to study avian traditions, for him. In their own ways. Courting him, in all the right ways.

How could Grian deny it? Deny them? When Grian longs for him- them so strongly?

Grian still doesn't understand when Vex had changed, perplexed by how Vex could have done so right under his nose. Doesn't make any sense, even though the proof points to clear truth.

Vex tries so stupidly, earnestly hard for both of them that Grian could almost begin to wonder if Vex will burn himself out.

Some vicious part whispers to let him, let Vex burn himself out in their name. Would serve him right, that evil villain.

That same part of Grian whispers that Grian's just a friend, that Scar doesn't actually care. And that Vex is just putting up with him for Scar's sake. Both of them moments away from realizing that they can simply cut Grian out, not put up with him anymore.

...hand-grinding a gorgeously shaped, smoothed, and polished gemstone cherry hanging from a, if Grian's being disgustingly honest with himself, pure platinum chain, is an awful lot of trouble to go to for putting up with someone. And Vex's expression when Grian had demanded Vex put it on him-

Grian does not believe Vex capable of faking that emotion. Not well enough to fool Grian, inches apart.

The only conclusion left, of all possibilities, in all its enormity, is that Vex well and truly cares for him.

And something in Grian longs to care right back. To take fierce pride in the untouchable Vex choosing him to court. To court him right back with every line in that absurd fae guide.

To snap Vex up in his maw and never let go.

...maybe Grian really has been spending too much time with Scar. Hm.

Nah. There's no such thing as too much time with Scar.

The million dollar question though, what does Grian actually do with that care?

Covet it, his hands say. Gather it up close and bite anyone who tries to take it from him. Teeth and claws ripple over Grian's surface. He never claimed his love to be something soft. That's not who he is.

He's going to return to them, he knows. Just. A little longer. Maybe a trip to bring lunch with him, or to get the splinter of his missing phone out from under his skin.

Didn't Scar want to do something for lunch? Maybe he should prioritize his phone.

Once he has his phone, or a new one or whatever, he can demand Vex put his stupid evil colorful pretty fun sparkly terrible no good Vexting app onto it, because Grian isn't going to be left out of the loop if they're going to be truly courting now! He's going to be able to text Vex whenever he needs Vex's attention! And he won't take no for an answer!

The app is Mumbo-approved, after all. Now, Grian can be proud of that. He did his due diligence! He's not taking blind risks just because of his ill-advised heart! So then it only makes sense for Grian to also have the app. Maybe make Vex put some nice clouds in it for him, or something. Clouds full of color.

Pulling himself together into something limbed, Grian shambles over to his laptop, checking- No signal of any kind from his phone, likely destroyed. Easier to just pick up a new one and nab the backup Mumbo just did while checking it, then he can seek out the remains of the old one when he has more time for really crawling the city.

Might as well hoof it over to to Mumbo's now. He should be able to wheedle a new phone out of Mumbo. Maybe a fancy prototype?

That’d be fun! Grian’s the best at testing Mumbo’s inventions! Mumbo always learns so much.

Body all back how it ought be, check. Hm. New outfit, though. Grian grabs something colorful to match his mood, packing his mask instead of wearing it. He can just toss what he came here in into his nest, no big deal.

Bounding back out into the big bright world, their beautiful city. A clear purpose, path in his mind. Everything’s going to go great or else Grian will raise hell until it does!

The flight over to Mumbo's is short. Grian has long since been given a landing pad keycode, allowing him to just waltz right on in.

“Mumbo!” Grian drapes himself over Mumbo’s back without preamble, squishing his bestest of buddies as aggressively as possible.

"Mr. Fischer." A surprising voice greets. Wha- where?

Ah. Right. This is Mumbo's home office. Must be in the middle of a video conference. With Mr.- Cub.

Almost, Grian almost lets himself use that name, just to show Mumbo he can- But no, better to match Cub’s level of formality. “Hi, Mr. Fan, good to see you.” Grian waves one colorful wing. It’s not like he called out sick, and Mr. Fan has been encouraging him to relax and spend time out of the office, so he feels zero shame being seen here during his time off.

"Always a pleasure to see you, as well. I do hope you are enjoying your time off." Cub returns the wave with his hand, even if somewhat stiffly.

“I’m having a blast! Gonna steal Mumbo when you’re done with him.” No, Mumbo doesn’t get a say in that. “How’re you doing?” The stiffness mildly concerns Grian, prompting him to look closer. Sure, it could just be surprise, but Grian doesn’t want to miss anything!

"I'm doing good as well, thank you." Something on another screen must catch Cub's attention, because he turns his head, looking over.

Something about the way Cub’s hair moves- Grian gasps, claws sinking into Mumbo’s torso. No, Grian knows what that is. He knows those shapes in his fingers...

Another avian is courting Mr. Fan! How dare they!

"Grian..." Mumbo sounds a touch faint.

"Yes, as nice as this is, Mr. Fischer, I'm afraid if you want to sit in for the meeting I'll have to consider you clocked in." Cub returns his attention to the camera.

Grian had clamped his jaw down to avoid spilling embarrassingly unprofessional malcontent chitters, and now he has to work it back open again to speak. “We wouldn’t want that, now would we.” Grian’s voice is stiff to his own ear, but it has to be good enough. One by one, he plucks his claws out of Mumbo. “I’m sure I can entertain myself until you’re done. Catch you later!” With one boldly blatant kiss to Mumbo’s cheek, Grian flings himself off out of Mumbo’s office.

Bee-lining for Mumbo's couch, Grian vents all his frustrations into building a nest on it. After he licks the blood off his claws, that is. Can't be getting blood all over his nest!

Barely a thought goes to making sure his system is able to handle Mumbo’s blood, simply habit by now. All the better to focus more thoroughly on his nest, a tightly dark space he can crawl into and rattle dire noises from inside.

"Oh dear, what seems to be the matter, my fine friend?" Some unknown time of Grian sitting in his nest later, he's joined by a shirtless Mumbo. It's too dark in the nest to properly see, but the scent of blood still hangs heavy in the air around Mumbo.

“Nothin’.” Grian doesn’t even try to keep the sullenness out of his voice. Technically, he had never made any overt claim on Cub, so no one has done anything wrong- Further hissed rattles escape him. Sue him for taking his time with a delicate situation like that!

"Grian, you don't just stab me full of holes for the heck of it. Do I need to hold you down and fuck the answer out of you?" Mumbo's threat doesn't sound the least bit threatening, mostly because it's Mumbo, possibly the least threatening person in existence. Never mind that he can, has, and will not hesitate to again make good on that threat in the most delicious of ways. That vampire strength being used to hold Grian down really is something.

Grian strips off his shirt, not wanting it bloodied, then crawls onto Mumbo’s lap. “I was feeling good, you know, I was having a good day.” He just wants to be as close to Mumbo as possible right now, fucking optional.

"And then something ruined it?" Lanky arms come up to hold Grian close. Mumbo's still sticky with oozing blood. Somehow, that doesn't make the hug weird. Neither does the fact that Grian can already feel Mumbo's fangs scraping the skin on his shoulder.

"And then Nothing ruined it, yes." Grian primly corrects. He doesn't bother stopping Mumbo from biting down lightly on his shoulder, a familiar sting of pain. Blood for blood, as is the way of things. Maybe Mumbo won't make a mess of the nest if he heals soon enough.

Only a few sips this time. Barely enough for what it should take for Mumbo to heal up the stabs. Soft laves at Grian's shoulder, encouraging the flesh to grow in ways Grian can't do on his own. To heal. There's at least one more bite in his future if he doesn't call Mumbo off, he knows that much. Can tell by the way Mumbo's behaving. Spoon probably hasn't fed since the storm.

Why should he call Mumbo off? Idiot can be worse than Scar about eating sometimes, not wanting to 'inconvenience' people, and Grian knows Mumbo has blood replenishing tablets on hand at all times. Not to mention, maybe a good few more bites will take Grian's mind off of things.

So he just clings himself onto Mumbo and chirrs softly.

"Oh goodness me. It's worse than I thought." Somehow, Mumbo manages to pull off Grian's pants without detaching them from each other. Not that Grian would have allowed him to pull away.

Questing fingers that dip between Grian's thighs find him slick and ready. Hard, too. Grian doesn't remember pulling an actual configuration together, and decides that can just not matter, as long as he gets both Mumbo's fangs and dick in him, and is held tight the whole time.

Grian trills sternly at-Mn, the sound cuts off as Mumbo sinks into him, grip never wavering. Much better, so much better, Grian can just flex his legs to bounce on that until Mumbo pins him in place with that delicious strength, taking another, deeper bite out of Grian's shoulder as he does.

Full, and drained. A perfect balance, with no room to be anything else but here in the sensations of his body.

Nothing to do but exist as he's fucked and feasted on.

Lightheadedness sweeps over Grian, spinning the glum world of the nest around him.

Even without Grian having any idea where his own pleasure centers ended up, Mumbo manages a combination of thrusting dick and clever fingers that wring a sharp climax out of Grian. Which only adds to the spinning in his brain, leaving his wings to wrap around Mumbo for steadiness.

When Grian's brain comes back online after that, it's to more little licks, to clean hands running through his hair and tiny feathers.

"Feel better now?" Mumbo asks, smoothing out the feathers of Grian's headwings that hang limply. Everything feels heavy, lack of blood making him drowsy and weak. Nothing Grian would rather do than nap right here and now.

Unfortunately, Mumbo won't let him. Some noise Grian must have made must have been enough confirmation, because Mumbo bullies a small pill between Grian's lips, following it up with a straw.

"Drink. Don't make me mesmer you." He instructs.

"You could only be so kind." Grian mumbles, feeling like stringing the words together takes an age and a half, before the siren call of fresh juice catches up to him. Practically could be a vampire himself, the way he sucks that box dry in no time at all.

"Feel like elaborating on nothing, now?" Mumbo asks, holding the straw of a second juice box to Grian's lips.

"Did he say who it was?" Grian demands, taking his time with this juice box. Cran-cherry, how dare Mumbo remember his preferences.

"Did who say what? I don't follow." With Grian unwilling to hold his own juice box, that only leaves Mumbo one hand for Grian petting. Outrageous.

At least Mumbo's hands are nice and big, even one covers a lot of petting ground. "Did he, did Cub, say who it is." Grian demands again.

"Who is what?" Mumbo, the spoon, sounds so completely, utterly, genuinely confused. "Cub and I didn't talk about anything not work related."

"Of course he didn't, he's a professional." Grian sighs. He knows Cub isn't going to be the sort to kiss and tell. Not someone as polite as him. "I just don't know how this could have happened right under my nose without me knowing about it!" Shouldn't there have been other signs, first?

"How what could have happened? Grian, what on earth is going on?" Long fingers scritch and rub softly at the base of Grian's skull.

"You saw him." Grian huffs, working his hands up into Mumbo's hair, playing at making loose braids. He can't keep up the huffiness, though, melting into softer coos under Mumbo's fingers.

"Yes, I did see Cub. Is it to do with the hairstyle he had? It did look quite snazzy." Tilting his head, Mumbo lets Grian at the longest parts of his hair.

"He was wearing courting braids, you ninny." Grian makes a few of his own braids in the floof of Mumbo's hair. He and Mumbo don't need to court, they are what they are, but the braids are nice to put on him now and again, topped off with one of the little wooden beads Grian had made in Vex's workshop.

"Courting braids?" Surprise colors Mumbo voice, stills his fingers. "Don't those usually have the other's feathers in them?"

"Usually... I didn't see any feathers, but the braids are unmistakable!" Is there hope for him yet? That the other avian wasn't invested enough to gift Cub with their feathers? That Grian still has a chance?

"I didn't see any feathers either." Mumbo offers. "Maybe I could ask him. Congratulate him? Are you supposed to congratulate people on courting braids?"

"They're a visible claim on your courted, of course they're for talking about." Grian headbutts Mumbo. Silly vampire, not knowing how things work. "You'll have to tell me everything he says." Surely sending Mumbo to subtly gather information is the best possible plan.

"Of course." Mumbo immediately agrees. "Now finish your juice. You need at least one more. I drank a lot."

"As you should." Grian can take it. ...but Mumbo fussing over him is nice. So he obliges, finishing his juice and peeping for the next one, which is readily provided. "Weathered the storm in here safe?" Grian peers up at Mumbo.

"No troubles for me personally, no. Though we did have a location break down from storm damage. It's been quite the headache, to be frank with ya." Mumbo sighs.

"Hello, Frank." Grian kisses Mumbo's chin. "You're much more handsome than that Mumbo fellow." A wink. "Still, I'm glad you were safe. Businesses can be repaired."

"Silly goober, you." Mumbo ruffles through Grian's hair, messing it all up. "How about you? Get through the storm alright? I heard none of the ConCorp buildings lost power."

"I..." Grian looks down. "I wasn't at home."

When he doesn't continue, Mumbo prompts him with an inquisitive noise.

"I was out, when the full force of the storm hit. Flying."

"Oh dear." Grian finds himself crushed close. "I'm glad you made it through okay."

Grian clings onto Mumbo, shivering. "I did. I did." Softly wheezed words as Mumbo squeezes all the air out of him. That really could have been so much worse. What if he'd ended up stumbling on the lair of... any number of villains he's had to save Scar from before? He could have died, or far worse.

Instead, he got Vex. His Vex. The memories may be blurry, steeped in fear and cold and pain, but he was safe. Cared for. In the wings of his flock.

Sobs rattle Grian's ribcage, as it sinks in just how lucky he was. Is.

Mumbo rubs a steady hand down over Grian's back, between his wings, over and over. Vex had soothed Grian's fever, splinted Grian's wing.

...had left Grian, to go face the storm. To make everyone safe again. And no one will know, will they? That Vex was the hero who saved the day. The storm simply broke, with no one the wiser.

Grian knows. Scar knows. They know, and that has to be enough. It has to.

Maybe Grian could conspire with Scar, make sure they properly 'thank' Vex. He did do a Hero's job, only fitting that a Hero thank him. Would Scar be Hotguy, for them?

Would Hotguy be willing to set aside his rivalry, his grudges, his noble justice, for this moment? For the sake of the city. For Grian's sake, to thank Vex for his startlingly good deeds? Done without even asking for the slightest of accolades.

Honestly, Vex makes an awful villain. A great rival for Hotguy, but a terrible villain.

But maybe, that's by design. Grian's starting to see patterns.

A man who had turned himself into a monster, just for the opportunity to fight Hotguy. To get himself beaten down by Hotguy, over and over again. Without powers in play, Hotguy undoubtedly has the upper hand.

A fair fight. Something Vex doesn't give other heroes.

They're just lucky that Vex's obsession had room for Scar, too. Not only the Hero.

That could have ended badly. So horrifically badly, as Grian's seen time and time again.

Vex also having the space for Grian isn't even a question. That's a given. Grian and Scar are a pair. Grian and Scar. Scar and Grian. Bonded. Mated.

Suddenly, the idea of indeliably marking each other seems very appealing. Who else would Grian do that with, other than Scar? It's always Scar. Always has been, always will be.

Scar, already written on his wing. Greedy to want more.

Grian wants more.

Mumbo makes an inquisitive noise, settling back enough to work a hand between them and feel the lump of Grian's cherry that had been digging into their chests as Mumbo held him.

"Whatcha got there, bud?" He asks, with an adorably curious tilt of his head.

"A gift." Grian manages. How much can he even say about it? He wants to crow about the gift from the rooftops.

"Feels fancy. Who's it from?" Mumbo carefully twists the cherry in his fingers.

"It is fancy. Handmade." Grian trills, chin lifted in pride. "I just, can't say who it's from. You don't want me to say." Mumbo's been plenty clear in the past, about wanting to steer clear from most all masks stuff.

"Ah. Alright. I won't ask then." A soft kiss to Grian's brow. "Is it- is it like the feathers?"

"It is, it's similar. A handmade gift, when there aren't feathers to give." Grian nuzzles his cheek to Mumbo's. "A courting-claim."

"Not from Scar." Mumbo sounds certain. "I assume Scar knows, so it looks like congratulations are in order."

"He does. He'll show you his next time he gets a chance, no doubt." But Grian got here first so he gets to bask in Mumbo's congratulations first. "Thank you!" Pleased chirps, snuggling Mumbo good.

"Was that why you came here today? To show off your uh- whatever this is?" Careful fingers rest the cherry against Grian's chest again.

"Do I need a reason to visit you?" Grian huffs, bonking his face against Mumbo's.

"Empirically, yes." Mumbo snorts, going back to petting him.

A long pause, before Grian cracks. "I lost my phone in the storm, I think it was destroyed."

"So you're here for a new one then." Mumbo deduces.

"With the backup, you so kindly took the time to make for me." Grian nods eagerly.

"The backup you said was a waste of time that could be spent digging into the evils that had surely possessed your phone?" Mumbo arches an eyebrow, speaking dryly.

"That very same one!" Grian chirps in confirmation.

"Well of course, then. I'll get right on that." Mumbo makes no move to get up, continuing to snuggle and pet Grian.

"Mhm, you better." Grian nods, nuzzling into the touch.

Mumbo simply scoops Grian right up, lifting Grian out of the nest still cuddled close to him.

"And it'd better be the newest best model you've got!" Grian adds, grinning.

"Any features you want?" Mumbo asks, carrying him off to somewhere.

"I'll need solid waterproofing, of course, and drop protections. And Scar protections, too." Grian ticks off his fingers.

"Scar protection?" Mumbo sits Grian down on his bathroom counter.

"Mhm. Protection from Scars, very important." Grian swings his legs idly, shaking out and settling his wings. He's completely fine with letting Mumbo clean them both up.

"What would that entail?" Mumbo's already diligently at work.

"Lots of stuff. You know, explosions, bodily orifices, being dropped into a cake batter and baked, falling down the stairs, falling up the stairs, wheel damage. The usual." Grian bops along.

"So waterproofing, temperature resistant, and shock absorbent." Mumbo surmises.

"If you want to be boring and technical about it." Grian stick out his tongue.

Which Mumbo taps. "I do, thank you."

"And I want it to be blue." Grian declares. Surely, there's no reason behind this. Just a whim.

"The phone, the case, or both?" Mumbo checks, bundling the freshly cleaned Grian over to sit on his bed, while Mumbo fetches them new clothing.

"Both. One bright blue, one pale blue." Grian flops backwards gracelessly.

"Can do, can do." Mumbo picks a nice pale blue shirt for Grian, getting him all dressed up with dark neutral slacks, before Grian hops off the bed to help Mumbo back into a casual suit. Grian isn't sure what makes this one casual, despite Mumbo explaining it to him repeatedly, but Mumbo claims he's comfortable in it, so good enough.

Besides, Grian gets to be all dressed up in good flock-scent this way. Cozy.

Both of them dressed, Mumbo bundles Grian off to some kind of tech lab.

Mumbo sets him in front of a switchboard that makes all sorts of delightful sounds and colorful flashing lights when Grian presses the buttons, turns the knobs, and flicks the levers. Little drawers pop open as he works out what exact combinations-

"There you go, how's this look?" How's Mumbo already presenting him with a phone, they barely just got here!

Scrabbling it out of Mumbo's hands, Grian examines the phone. Turns it over and over. Blue, just as he'd asked. Poking at the button, Grian can see Mumbo's already loaded it with the backup.

A quick glance around, then Grian takes aim and hurls it at the far wall.

The phone makes a rather loud clatter on impact and drop, but there's no crunch, no shatter. Grian scurries right over to scoop it up, checking- Still good!

Back over to Mumbo to plant a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, Mumbo. You're the best."

"You're very welcome, Grian. I assume I'll hear about any issues you have with it? This is a prototype model after all. You're a beta tester." Mumbo take the kiss and thanks with only minimal blushing.

"You'll be first to hear." Any excuse to complain to Mumbo is a good one! Not that it's easy to find reasons to complain about Mumbo's tech- But Grian perseveres!

"That was all you needed? How are you feeling, bloodwise?" Mumbo checks.

"Mumbo time, check. New phone, check." Sounds like every thing Grian needs. "Not feeling dizzy anymore, either." Grian bounces on his feet, to show how ready and energetic he is.

"You know you have to wait at least two hours until you can fly, after taking one." Mumbo reminds. "Should I ask Etho to drive you?"

Grian chews his lip. "He could... drop me off at a park, before I go meet up with." Grian brushes his fingers over the cherry under his shirt. "Someone." That'll be close enough for him to walk, and find a ladder up to the roof to get in.

Could he realistically use the street level entrance? Sure. It would open for him, he's sure. Does it feel right? No. Absolutely not.

Because then he could see any names on the buzzer.

How unlike him, to not want to know everything he can about everything around his courted- But Vex... He's patient, with them, giving him information. Grian has to- To play fair. Give, as he takes. Balanced.

A dance with so much more in the balance, here.

"That works." Mumbo's got his own phone out, tapping away at it. "Should I bring you to the garage?"

"Mm, yes." More spoiling from Mumbo, absolutely. Grian peeps contentedly as Mumbo scoops him up again. "Careful, or I'll just have you carry me there."

"I could do that." Mumbo does not sound unhappy about the idea.

"You could, with your noodely arms." Stronger than they look, Grian knows. "Barely two steps for you."

"It is a little further. Maybe four." Mumbo bargains, heading for the elevator.

"Hm, possibly three. At mos-" Grian tucks his wings in sharply, freezing up as the elevator door opens.

"Are you okay?" Mumbo pauses right before the elevator, open doors waiting.

"I'm fine, I'm fine, nothing's wrong." Grian insists, voice refusing to drop out of high octaves.

"Mate, you're clearly not." Mumbo steps back. "Tell me what's wrong."

"I just. Think taking the stairs would be nice, don't you think stairs are great? Stairs are great! Sturdy, reliable, open, good. The- The elevator is practically cheating!" Grian scrambles for his words, not even sure himself what he's saying.

"Are you scared of the elevator? What happened?" Mumbo squints at him.

"I'm not scared!" Grian instantly protests, chomping down on Mumbo's shoulder. That'll show Mumbo how not scared and not panicked he is!

"So you'd be fine if I just took the elevator, yeah?" Mumbo says, walking towards it like he intends to get in.

Grian flares out his wings and arms, catching tight on the doorframe of the elevator and halting them. "Just. Just fine. Yeah. I'm fine. This is normal." The shivering is normal, the way his feathers rustle.

This is stupid, he's going to have to use elevators! He can't just. Not! Ugh.

"Normal. Ah." Mumbo does not look convinced. "What normal thing do you think is going to happen in there? I'm not going to eat you."

"I'd rather that." Grian mutters. "Anyway, I know that, I know that, it's not going to break down, and you're not going to- to- to have to do anything to get me out of there. It's fine. It's fine and normal!"

"Do you need me to take the edge off?" He offers.

"I- I-" Grian sags. "Sure." He meets Mumbo's gaze, trying to slow his breathing to something steady.

The tiniest hint of mesmer creeps into Grian's mind, eagerly invited, soothing him. Just a touch. Followed smoothly by Mumbo pulling him into a kiss.

Grian flows into Mumbo's touch, letting everything else fall away. All there is, is him and Mumbo and this kiss- And the soft ding coming from somewhere outside the bundle of Grian's wings wrapped around them.

"We're here." Mumbo whispers against Grian's lips.

"See? Totally fine." Grian giggles, pressing further kisses to Mumbo's cheeks as Mumbo carries him out into the hall.

"Sure thing. Totally normal to need mesmer be be able to enter an elevator." Mumbo gently teases.

"Absolutely. All elevators should come with mesmers, you should get on selling that." Grian snickers, ruffling Mumbo's hair.

"You good now? Can I set you down?" Mumbo fusses.

"Decided not to carry me the whole way? I'm heartbroken." Grian wiggles all his talons, playful.

"Grian. We're here." Mumbo gently says.

"Nuh-uh, I didn't even tell you which park I was going to yet." Grian squishes Mumbo's cheeks in his hands.

"I'm not going to carry you to the park."

"Coward." Grian boops Mumbo's nose. What a silly face.

"The sun and I are not currently on speaking terms."

"Boo!" Grian boopa him one more time, just for good measure. "Yeah, you can set me down."

"Excellent." Mumbo takes care to let Grian get his feet under him, thoughtfully supporting Grian until Grian's steady on his feet. "A pleasure doing business with you, as always."

"Come here, you." Grian drags Mumbo in for a kiss.

Mumbo nips at Grian's lip, before letting Grian kiss him good and proper. Really, would it be so bad to stay-

"Well, go on then. You to your meetup and me to my reconnaissance." Mumbo prompts, giving Grian one last squeeze of a hug.

"My meetup. Yeah." Ever so slightly dazed, Grian turns to where Etho is waiting for him with an open car door.

Mumbo helps tuck Grian away into the car seat, pausing to have a brief blur of conversation with Etho. A thumbs up from Etho, and a nod from Mumbo.

"See you later, then. Good luck." Mumbo waves them off.

#nowhere else to go #hero for sale cinematic universe #featherstorm #welcome to the chapter that guest stars mumbo! : D #grian needed his mumbo time #stop himself from thinking himself in circles #phone get! : D