I posted in less than 24 hours! Woo! 👏

[Small Warning: 1 cuss] 

I've been becoming very bold with my cussing privileges, aren't I? 

Now originally I was just going to send you a short draft [because we can't have angsty leftovers-]. But after the last chapter, you guys were so on board with the angsty bonus that I gained enough motivation to actually finish this draft. 

So…. Thank you guys for motivating me! °^° 👏

This takes place after the events of the previous chapter, "Operation NLH". But this is an alternate chapter where the young hermits proceed with Joe's plan to steal the adult hermits' stuff. 

I'll be honest, there's not that much stealing in this story. It's just… angst-

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--Cleo's POV--

It was official. Hermitcraft's first ever daycare was now closed for this season. 

We've only used Grumbot as a daycare for more than 2 months yet it really did feel like forever ever since the hermits turned into kids. 

Speaking of the young hermits, none of them were really fond of the idea that this was their final visit to this daycare. I expected that reaction but it still caught me a bit off guard.

I mean… They were incredibly active this morning. All playing around the boat, whispering loudly at each other, Tango screaming every time he made a genius point, and now they're just quiet.. 

Their sudden urge to all group up together into one meeting was very suspicious indeed, but I'm honestly not that surprised. 

I know they're upset. I know they don't want to leave. I know that Joe lied to me when he said that it was okay. But in all honesty, I'm not exactly sure how to deal with this. 

I mean, of course I'll tell Joe the reason for leaving season 7, but I want to do it in a way that Joe understands our current situation, our reasons for why we're doing this. I needed his honesty so that I could help him deal with this together. I couldn't do it when Joe isn't really that open with me anymore. 

So here's me and the kid, rowing our way back to my base. Joe kept his head slightly down, fiddling around with his fingers. I waited impatiently as we hit the loading point of the world. Not only was it taking forever for the server to load my side of the island, the absence of the kid's random rants left me driving mad. 

Damit server! Why are you making awkward situations like this happen!? Do you really want me to talk to Joe right now!? We can literally do this on land, server! 

… 

… 

… 

Well, the server had a point… The conversation had to happen sooner rather than later, right? Still don't know why I'm talking to the server like it's some sentient being-

"Joe," I called out softly. 

A small hand flinched from my side as a metal object fell near my left foot. I turned around to see the horror plastered on Joe's petrified face. "Joe, are you.. Okay?" 

My eyes darted back at the object that fell. Once I picked up the item, I immediately recognized it as my communicator.. 

I looked at the device  then back at Joe. The young hermit made no effort to move from his paralyzed position, he looked way too scared to even break a sweat.

"Hey Joe," I calmly called out again. He hesitated as my hand slowly reached for him. I waited for confirmation from the kid before he slowly leaned for my hand. I smiled, slowly bringing him from across the backseat of the boat and onto my lap. 

Joe chose not to look at me, but allowed himself to lean closer to my shoulder. That was good enough for now. 

"You know Joe? If you want to borrow my communicator, you can just ask." I handed him the communicator. "No need to steal it from me."

The young poet took the item from my hand and stared at it quietly.. 

A sniffle came from the young hermit as tears started to form in his eyes. Immediately, the kid let out a sob. He hastily covers his eyes with his arm as an attempt to stop his tears, but a stream of water already fell across his cheeks by the time he started crying. 

"I-I'm.. S-orry-" 

I brought the kid closer to my chest as he sobbed. His cries would've been heard from across the server, that's how loud it was. I felt every part of my organs twist into a tight knot. 

But screw me! My kid is crying! 

Joe stuttered the word 'sorry' over and over again. He finally gave up once he couldn't control the hiccups he developed from the longer he sobbed. I hugged him as tight as I could, constantly rubbing his back to calm him down. 

"Joe, it's okay," I whispered. "It's okay."

His sudden breakdown was a surprise.. I mean- I've dealt with his breakdown once before and that was only just a month ago. But it worried me incredibly, that Joe immediately lost it after I offered him my communicator..

Why do communicators always get fucking involved in Joe's breakdowns!? Because I am 'THIS' close to threaten Hypno into banning thEM-

"I'm sorry."

I snapped back into reality once I realized that the young poet calmed down. Joe still did not look up to me, but he was clinging closer to my top, resting his tired head on my arm. "I'm sorry," he muttered again. 

"Sorry? Sorry for what, Joe?" I asked softly. 

".. I tried stealing your communicator, so that I could hide it."

"Hide it?."

"So that you would take forever finding it," he pauses for a bit. "Then we would stay here for even longer.." 

Oh.. 

"Stealing is wrong, but-" he choked up a bit, "I.. I want to stay here. I don't want to leave our home- I don't want to go!" Another batch of tears started forming as he covered his whole face with his two hands to stop it. He sobbed once again. 

I brought the kid closer to my arms once again. I felt his whole body tremble like a storm, I felt his shoulders hastily rising up and down each time I slid my hand across his back. 

"Oh Joe." I murmured. 

"Why do we have to go?" Joe asked in the softest, most pitiful voice this child should not even muster. I looked at his teary eyed face, bringing my hand to wipe off the continuous stream of tears on his face.

"Because," I took a deep inhale and exhaled quietly, "we want to bring you guys to a safer place. Your uncle Hypno and auntie Pearl found a safe place where you can all finally play outside. You'd like to play outside, right?" 

The young poet nodded. 

I held the kid closer to my arms, resting my chin on top of the brunette's soft hair. "I'll be honest with you Joe, I don't want to leave this place either. There's a lot of stuff I haven't finished yet. But this place, this server, is no longer safe.." 

I felt the kid shift a little bit. He moved his head away from my chin and leaned onto my chest. I chuckled a bit, bringing my hand up to brush his brown locks. 

" Please understand this, Joe. I know you're upset with me, with us. But I promise you I don't have any intentions to hurt you, and I'm not planning to any time soon. I just want to keep you safe. I don't want some spooky zombie to jump on you, or drowning in the sea every time we travel on boat, or some glitch or lag to accidentally k-"

I bit my tongue to stop myself from continuing.. Server problems are something too complicated for young Joe to worry about. He's a smart kid, but there are things he shouldn't stress about at a young age yet. 

" You don't want me to die?" He finally spoke up. 

"... Yes, Joe." I leaned onto the kid's head again. "I don't want you to die."

After saying that, I felt his tiny arms wrapping around my waist, gripping onto me for as long as he could. I slowly melted into the kid's long embrace. 

"I won't die..Because that will make you sad."

A bittersweet smile formed on my face. I honestly do not know how to respond to that bold statement of his. 

"Hmm." was all I could reply. 

Joe slowly raised his head up from my chest. He was teary-eyed, his whole face was red, but he finally had the courage to look at me. "I still don't want to leave.."

"I know," I paused for a bit, brushing off a few strands of his hair. Might as well fix him up a little bit. "But who knows. What if our home is nice? I heard your new friend, Gemini, talk about how big the grass field is."

Joe's eyes widened a bit, curiosity finally filling that brain of his. I think about it for a sec till he quickly shrugs it off. "It still won't be the same.."

"It's not supposed to be the same. It will be a little different." I chuckled. "But let's give it a chance, shall we?" 

The young poet hesitates before nodding again. He sniffles a bit, constantly removing his glasses each time he teared up. I wiped his tears once again before pulling him to another hug. 

"I-I will miss our home."

"Same.." 

"But it can be a happy memory, right?" Joe asked, wrapping his arms tighter around my neck. "You said it to me many, many days ago. The memories are alive inside of our hearts forever."

I'll be honest, I did not expect that response from him. And trust me, Joe says a lot of interesting stuff. But what he said to me right now, left me paralyzed. I could not move from my current position at all, or at least did not dare to. 

" Y-You are absolutely right!" I let out a shaky laugh, squeezing the kid closer to my arms. 

The ocean rocked our boat as the two of us cling onto each other for dear life. No one said anything after that, letting the currents rock us. I did not have the heart to let go of the young poet. Maybe I can call a hermit to row us back to my base instead? But for now, we just enjoyed the last sunset we were ever going to witness from hermitcraft season 7…

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"Am I still in trouble for stealing?" 

"Yep." 

"Aww-" 

"Your legs look delicious." 

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Ladies and gents, this chapter is officially considered the last season 7 chapter of this series!.. Kind of. 

There's one more chapter I'll make before moving onto season 8, but for now, this is the end of their adorable shenanigans in season 7.