Word Count : 1438

Watcher choked when he watched the heroes mask disintegrate away, showing a bruised and bloodied face and empty black eyes instead of the lit up and expressive red ones the hero was almost recognized on. All the red lights on the heroes outfit faded away, a signal that the tech was dying off. The mask was the final thing that powered down, showing to the world who the bright and chirpy hero, Reaction, really was.

"Mumbo?" Watcher asked, his voice trembling and wavering as he flew down and rested on the destroyed street. Looking at the fallen hero. After a second of hesitation and numbness, Watcher approached the hero's unmoving form. "Mumbo." He said again, this time louder. "Mumbo!" At the last call, Watcher was now on his knees, his hands grabbing at Mumbo's shoulders and shaking him, trying to gain some kind of response.

The hero's eyes were still open, staring off into nothing at Watcher's attempts. Pulling Mumbo close, Watcher listened for a heart beat, a breath, anything.

A beat.

Instantly filled with hope, Watcher tore off his mask and threw it to the ground, cracking it in the process. Cameras flashed but Grian could care less. He gazed down at his flatmate, cradling the younger man in his arms, muttering. "Mumbo, you stupid spoon. Why must you be so damn naive? Why'd you have to offer a second chance to someone who would never show you mercy?" Grian questioned, tears running down his face and splashing the ground.

Mumbo's arms were limply crossed over his stomach, his head resting ever so slightly against Grian's arm that was supporting his head. "Gri?" He asked, his mind still in a broken and confusing haze.

The shorter man looked into his flatmates eyes as shuttered sobs escaped him. "Its ok... I'm right here." He said, his wings wrapping around himself and Mumbo in a protective way.

Another second passed and suddenly there was a huge, bright spotlight on the both of them. Grian winced at the sudden brightness change and looked up, squinting to see a massive dropship hovering from above. Another second passed and suddenly there were ropes hitting down on the ground, followed by people. But not just any people, heroes.

Hound, Boulder, Frost, Hunter, Jangler, Arachnid, Poet and Paladin. The eight heroes immediately surrounded Grian and Mumbo, slowly closing in on them.

Grian knew he would fail if he attempted an escape. He didn't want to escape, he just wanted to hold his flatmate in his arms. The villain ducked his head against the crook of Mumbo's neck, telling the heroes through action that he wouldn't try anything.

The heroes approached until they were standing a mere five feet from the two. That was when Grian lifted his head back up to them, his eyes red and puffy from the tears. He looked the Poet dead in the eyes. "Please... you've got to help him." He begged, his wings drooping down ever so slightly.

The Paladin spoke up. "You attack Reaction and now you want us to save him? Make up your mind, Watcher!" He snapped.

Grian shut his eyes, shaking his head. "No, I didn't hurt him." Grian confessed. "I tried to stop him from confronting the other Watchers. He didn't listen." Grian choked back a sob, opening his eyes again. "I didn't even know it was my flatmate before it was too late! Please you have to beleive me!"

Just as the former villain finished his plea, the head of the Hermit Heroes flew down. Landing between Arachnid and Poet.

Grian tensed up immediately, looking at the ninth hero to join the circle. "Admin?"

Time Skip
"His vitals are stabilizing. Heart beat is strengthening." Someone stated matter of factly. "He's fairly resilient, something that could compete with Iskall's resilience, aye Stress?

"Maybe, but do you think his head is ok, Joe?" A woman asked.

Mumbo groaned slightly, cracking his eyes open and immediately regretting it since there was a bright light shining over him. "Ghh..."

"Well, he's waking up. That's a good thing." Joe responded.

After a second of struggling to the light, Mumbo opened his eyes fully, looking around. "Wha..? Grian?" He slurred, blinking several times.

"Mr. Jumbo? I presume?"

Mumbo paused, looking to the man who spoke. "Uh... yeah-yeah that's me."

"My name is Joe Hills, how do you feel right now?" He asked, giving Mumbo a smile.

The patient hesitated before replying. "I... feel groggy and sore."

Joe Hills merely chuckled lightly. "Well that's to be expected, Mr. Jumbo. You took quite the beating last night."

The black haired man's eyes widened as he shot up from where he was laying. "Oh my lord the Watchers-"

"-Will no longer hurt you or Grian, love." The woman Stress, interrupted, trying to soothe the patient in front of her. "Take a breath love and calm down. Can you stand?" She asked.

Mumbo sat up, dangling his legs off the side of the bed he was on. He suppressed a wince for a second before going ahead and planting his feet on the floor and standing. He was now wearing a white shirt and black pants with white socks on his feet. "Where-where is Grian? I want to talk with him."

Stress gave a glance at Joe, who merely nodded. She then looked back up at Mumbo. "Of course! If you're feeling up for a bit of a walk. Follow me!" She chirped before linking her arm with his own and guiding him out of the room and into a hallway.

Person Switch
Grian sat with his hands in his lap, staring down at his feet. He was currently sitting in a jail cell that was being guarded by Hunter.

Hunter was leaning against a wall, facing away from him. The guy hadn't even looked back at him.

"Just down this way." A woman chirped just down the hall. The voice had caught Hunter and Grian's attention. Causing them both to look up.

Soon enough, the woman who had spoken walked into the room with none other than Mumbo.

Grian instantly turned his head back down, not wanting to face his flatmate yet. Hunter on the other hand, spoke up. "You're awake. But shouldn't you be resting?" He questioned.

"I want to talk to my flatmate, Grian. May I?" Mumbo replied, stating it firmly and without hesitation or mix up.

A brief moment of silence before Grian's cell door swung open, allowing Mumbo to walk inside.

"Gri?"

Grian felt himself tense up, his wings drooped to the floor. He wanted to shrink away as he felt the tears well up in his eyes again. "I wanted to ask what you were doing up, but..." He trailed off, summoning the courage to look up at his flatmate. "Your other hero friend beat me to the punch." He said, half jokingly and half whole heartedly.

Mumbo had a black eye currently and some other patches on his face. He looked so casual wearing just a t-shirt, pants and socks. It was kind of humorous. The younger man merely smiled, chuckling. "Yeah, I'll be getting that for awhile."

A brief second.

"Are... you doing ok?" Mumbo finally asked.

Grian sharply inhaled a breath of air. "Why are you asking me that?"

"What do you mean?" Mumbo looked genuinely confused.

"Why are you asking how I am?" Grian turned his head back down. His wings folding around him ever so slightly.

"Because I want to know."

Grian wiped the tears from his eyes. "Why... why are you..." The ex villains voice failed him as he just sat on his cell bed, silently crying. Before he knew it, Mumbo was on his knees in front of him, wrapping his arms around him.

The hug was comforting, secure. Why would Mumbo be giving him a hug? He had hurt him hadn't he? Practically betrayed him. They were enemies who somehow ended up sharing a flat with each other.

Grian's silent tears turned into sobs. He buried his face against the taller man's chest, gripping onto him as if his life depended on it. The only word running through his mind was "Why?".

Mumbo simply held onto the smaller male. "Its ok. I forgive you."

(Another Time. Basically I had the idea to use the first write I had for how my Hermit Heroes A.u would go. I picked the second write, then I thought, I want to do something with the first write and its plot as well. So that is where this story came from.)

(Its sappy, its sweet, but its valid)