A red blur streaked into Xisuma's base, making a loop before stumbling to a stop at X's feet. "Xisuma!" He gasped.

"Grian? What happened? What's wrong?" X could feel anxiety creeping in. What had Grian in such a twist?

"Uhhh..... Is there by chance any rustic-style homes I could borrow?" He smiled, concern showing in his eyes.

"Well, Exy's house is kinda rustic, and I think he's in his cave right now, so you could use that? Why, what's happening?"

Grian took off without responding, and X shot after him, his mind conjuring even more dangerous scenarios by the minute.

Grian touched down roughly, hardly slowing at all as he sprinted to the house, slamming his face into the window. X couldn't tell if the crack sound was the window or Grian's skull.

"Perfect," he breathed. Grian threw down a shulker box, throwing obsidian in front of the door, then booked it around the back, barricading the back door as well.

"Grian, what is the meaning of this!" X cried as Grian trotted back to the front yard, panting.

"It's all taken care of now, you can go." Grian shooed X away, but he held his ground.

"Grian, I mean it. What are you on about?"

Realization settled on Grian's face. "Oh. I guess I never told you, hehe.. You see, I have this thing- person? But he's crazy! So he's in my closet- well, not anymore, obviously. But he loves rustic houses, so here we are!"

X blinked. "...huh?"

"Maybe it's easier to show you." Grian crept up to the obsidian blocking the door. "I'll open the door, and you run in. Whatever you do, don't let him get out. Ready?"

X, confusion written all over his face, stood beside the door. Grian nodded, and counted down on his fingers.

3
2
1

BAM

The window shuddered as Ex's helmeted face appeared in the window, eyes wide with panic. He seemed to be shouting because his visor was fogging up, but he couldn't be heard through the window.

"Oh no..." Grian sighed. "I thought you said Exy wasn't home today!"

"I thought he wasn't! We need to get him out!" X felt a shiver up his spine, uncertain what the creature inside could do to his brother.

Grian whipped out a book, scrawling a message and holding it to the window for Ex to read. His eyes darted back and forth, until he finished reading and glared daggers at Grian. Grian just shrugged, returning to the door.

"We have to go in. I'll remove the obsidian, you make sure nothing gets out, ready go!" Grian mined away the obsidian, and X slammed his back against the door, not sure what he was keeping in. "Let's go, careful!"

Carefully, the door was cracked just enough for Grian's thin frame to squeeze through, and then carefully opened wider for X's armor. Finally, high on adrenaline, the pair collapsed on the wood floor, safely inside.

Well, maybe not safe; X still wasn't sure what Grian's secret was.

"Why did you two come in here?? You could've let me out and left that thing in here to rot!" Ex glared angrily down at them.

"He's harmless, really! Just very clingy, and annoying if you want to get work done." Grian shrugged and stood, offering X a hand up.

"What exactly is this thing?" X cautiously asked. Grian grinned, while Ex grimaced.

"It's upstairs." Ex jabbed a thumb pointing up the stairs.

Grian led the way, creeping up with X right behind him. "Aha! There you are!" Grian hopped the last step, running into the room. The whole upstairs was a big loft bedroom, nicely furnished by Scar. What was unexpected, however, was the Grian look-alike floating an inch off the floor in the center of the room. "Never leave without my permission, got it?" Grian scolded the creature lightly, checking it for injuries.

"Wha..." X was at a loss for words. "How?" Overcoming his fear, he approached, examining the strange Grian, who hadn't moved since they entered.

He was nearly identical to Grian physically- short, blonde, with dark eyes. However, there was no twinkle in those eyes, and he stood unnaturally still, hovering above the floor.

"What.. is it?"

"HELLO I AM NPC GRIAN"

X stumbled back as the voice seemed to come from inside his own head. "Oh my days!"

"Ah! You're awake!" Grian hugged NPC Grian, unfazed by the whole situation.

"Grian! What. On. Earth."

"Ah! X, meet Npc Grian, Npg for short! He uh, I'm not super sure when or how he showed up, but he loves rustic houses and can't open doors." Grian winked.

"I CANNOT OPEN DOORS BUT GRIAN CAN"

"Yeah, that's how you got out, huh? Did I not close the door all the way?"

"THE DOOR WAS OPEN AND RUSTIC HOUSE CALLED FOR ME"

Grian shook his head. "I need a better storage space for him that isn't my bedroom closet."

"Of course..."

—

Mumbo offered to build a 'rustic house' with special containment security, but while it was being built, Npg needed somewhere to stay.

"Oh no, not here! This is my house! You can't kick me out!" Ex shook his head definitively.

"We won't! You need to stay here and keep an eye on him. See you in two weeks!"

The door was slammed, obsidian blocking Ex inside. He banged on the windows, screaming rather rude things, but the hermits had flown off, leaving Ex trapped- with him.

He crept upstairs, peeking at the AI. He stood in the room, seemingly doing nothing. Until he flew over to Ex, startling him. His legs swung, although they didn't touch the ground, all his movements jerky and unnatural.

"WHAT IS YOUR NAME"

"Why do you care?" He asked cautiously.

"MY NAME IS NPC GRIAN. WHAT IS YOUR NAME"

"..Exy." He whispered.

"HELLO EXY"

He didn't like the way the robot said his name. "Alright, listen up. You get to stay downstairs, and I stay upstairs, got it?" Ex grabbed his shoulders, shoving Npg down the stairs. "Don't come up here!"

Sighing, Ex threw off his armor and collapsed in his bed, exhausted. He was stuck here, for two weeks, with that maniac...

He drifted off the sleep, dreaming of his isolated cave.

"GOOD MORNING"

"Gah!!" Ex scrambled back. Npg laid next to him, trapping half the covers on the bed. Ex was tangled in the other half, and couldn't seem to untangle himself fast enough. "Get away get away!!"

"DID YOU SLEEP WELL" the robot was unfazed.

"I told you to stay downstairs!" Ex growled as he stumbled over to the armor stand holding his red armor. He knew it wasn't a real person, but still felt better when his helmet was secure on his head.

"I GET LONELY SOMETIMES. DO YOU GET LONELY" the lack of inflection made it difficult to tell when he was asking a question.

"No," he said curtly. "That's why I told you to stay downstairs. Go." He pulled on his gloves and pointed to the stairs.

Npg, no emotion to be found, floated down the stairs.

"This is gonna suck.."

Day 645. Or at least I think it is. Im too lazy to check my phone. I'm starving to death, the robot is guarding the food. Planning a recon mission- wish me luck.

Ex squared his shoulders, staring down the stairs. As strong as he was, he was afraid of- afraid he would hurt the robot, obviously. Grian seemed to like the thing. He took a deep breath, and charged.

He bolted down the stairs, threw open the pantry, snagged as much food as he could, and sprinted back upstairs.

"Not bad!" He tossed his treasure on the bed. Two apples, a loaf of bread and a stack of cookies. "Should last me a while. And I didn't even have to deal with Robo-boy.." He mused.

"HELLO EXY"

"SHUT UP!" Ex jumped, whirling around. "You're not allowed up here, robo-jerk!"

"BUT YOU CAME DOWNSTAIRS" he drifted sideways, almost like a puppy tilting its head.

Ex sighed. "Yes. I needed food. Now go downstairs."

"OKAY" he floated downstairs again silently. Ex almost felt bad.

Almost.

He flopped on the bed, stuffing a cookie in his mouth. "So good..." He could tell X made them- he made the best cookies.

—

"Hey kid, can I have an apple?" Ex called down the stairs.

Npg tossed the apple stiffly up the stairs, and Ex caught it. They had reached a harmony over the last few weeks, and Ex had significantly relaxed. For the most part, the two stayed on their respective floors, but there was a companionship in the silence. Occasionally Npg had an episode, yelling about the rustic house, but he would stop if Ex has nearby. They would usually talk for hours after those episodes, just relaxing.

"Thanks bud." Ex bit into the apple, sitting on the edge of his bed. He'd made a routine for his days, and he always texted Mumbo before taking his afternoon nap. How's progress? I hear the flower baskets are rigged with mics. Hope construction is almost done.

He sighed and laid down, setting the apple core on the bedside table. He slept easily, the smattering of rain lulling him to sleep.

"GOOD MORNING"

Mornin," Ex yawned. He blinked in surprise, heat growing under his collar. "Remember what we said?"

"YES UPSTAIRS, NO BED"

"Then why," Ex glared. "are you in my bed?" Npg had found his way under the covers of the bed, laying only a few inches from Ex's face.

"THE LIGHTNING STRUCK RUSTIC HOUSE AND STARTLED ME"

"You're fine, gosh! You big baby." Ex shoved Npg away flustered, and he sadly drifted out of the bed.

"MUMBO ALSO VISITED BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE THE BED"

This launched Ex out of bed. "WHAT?! You should've woke me up, how long ago was he here??" Ex stumbled as he pulled on his boots.

"FIVE MINUTES AGO"

"I'll text him!" His thumbs flew as he hurried to text Mumbo.

Mumbo texted back instantly.
I'm still at the door :)

"Yess," Ex whispered happily. He pulled his helmet on and flew down the stairs, skipping the last two steps. "Freedom!" He threw the door open in glee.

Mumbo and Xisuma waved, but Ex didn't notice. He breathed in the air, damp and fresh from the rain. "Ah, I missed nature, it's been too long."

"Ehehe, sorry about that! You know how it goes working with Grian! Progress was a little slow when he helped." Mumbo laughed. "It's all done now, though! Where's Npc Grian, let's take him over!"

"NPG!" Ex called up the stairs and Npg flew down, seemingly excited by the fresh air as well. "Let's go to your new rustic house!"

"RUSTIC HOUSE TELLS NPC GRIAN TO COME" he bolted off, Ex and X hot on his tail. Mumbo followed after, yelling about something or other.

"Well, it's been good, buddy." Ex kicked a pebble, refusing to look up. "I never thought it was possible to be friends with you, but I guess I was wrong. I hope rustic house keeps you company, I'll miss you."

He turned, walking away without looking up. He felt the burning behind his eyes and refused to cry where anyone could see. Npg didn't even say goodbye, why was he crying over this?

"Hey! Come back! You can't just leave!" Mumbo called. "The defenses didn't work, please come back!" He sounded desperate.

"I can't do redstone, stop yell-" Ex spun around to yell back at Mumbo, but his visor bumped into Npg's nose. "Oh."

"THAT BUILDING IS FILLED WITH REDSTONE AND LIES"

Ex snorted, holding back a laugh. "Do you wanna stay with me, then?"

"RUSTIC HOUSE IS BETTER WITH YOU"

"Aw, shaddup, ya big nerd. Cmon kid, let's go." Ex led the way as Npg followed happily.

"Exy's really lightened up, huh?" Mumbo grinned.

"I guess so! Npc Grian probably helped. I'm just glad to see him happy." X folded his arms, smiling wistfully at Ex as he walked away.

"I can still hear you! Helmet audio!" He called over his shoulder, causing X and Mumbo to collapse in a fit of laughter.

Oof longest story yet, just because it took me forever to get to the part I actually wanted to write lol!

Love you, my little stars!
-RaeTheStar