Chapter Text
The 3rd Life meet-up was bound to be interesting. It always was! Because even though everything was behind them and everyone more or less had moved on, there were still those few things that made everything a bit… for lack of better word, funky. Ren’s memory of the latter half of the server was almost selectively fuzzy. Scott and Jimmy were Scott and Jimmy, exchanging affection and, more often, jabs and taunts. Everyone was torn between flocking to their old alliances and- politely- bullying their old enemies.
Scar and Grian were particularly guilty of that last one, seeing as they were both technically the winners. Basically any retort in their direction could- and often would- be deflected with “Well, we won, didn’t we?”
This meet-up had the dozen or so of them rounded up in a throwaway world, crowded in a build that was very reminiscent of the Crastle, especially in palette, though seemingly more wide than tall. It looked like the Crastle if it had been made specifically for hosting a get together. That would be because that’s exactly what it was.
Scar and Grian had spotted Scott and Jimmy near them at spawn and the four stuck together on their way to the meet-up joint. Impulse and Bdubs were letting everyone in.
“Wow, wonder who made this,” Scott said sarcastically.
“Uh- yeah, is it that obvious?” Bdubs asked.
“Oh, just a little bit,” said Scar.
"Darn!" Bdubs said; then, in a faux-sad voice, "I guess I'll have to take all the credit, then."
He was looking directly at Impulse, who laughed nervously.
“Well, don’t let us keep you!” He said, gesturing inside. The four of them all gave their small thanks and walked through the castle door.
Inside was nice. Well decorated, with a table for food and a table for drinks. They could see a few people already inside; Joel, Skizz, BigB- and Cleo, who was approaching them.
“Hey guys!” She said. They exchanged greetings and small talk.
“So how’d you all get here already anyways?” Grian asked eventually, referring to her, Impulse and Bdubs. Scar nodded. The two of them had come over as soon as Xisuma had opened travel.
“Oh, X let us through early so we could put this place together,” Cleo replied.
“We?” Said Bdubs, poking his head inside “I don’t know about we, Cleo!”
“Alright, I helped!” She laughed, “I put up some walls. It’s not my design anyways!”
“I made the, uh, doorbell,” Impulse’s muffled voice added from outside.
“Oh, shut it, you,” Bdubs said to Impulse. He got distracted by someone outside, but poked his head back in to declare that “This isn’t over!”
The rest of the night went by with similar conversations and squabbles and only a handful of deaths. It wound down, eventually. Grian, Scar, Cleo, and Scott- they had playfully harassed Jimmy into another group of players- were seated on the unused stage platform, all smiling and just a little bit tipsy. Scar looked around the room. Everyone seemed to have found their own gaggle- and he noticed two people in particular missing.
“When’d Ren and Martyn leave?” He asked. The other three looked around, apparently not noticing the two’s exit either.
“I have no idea,” Cleo said.
“Some host you are,” Grian teased. Cleo gave him a glare and he put his hands up in defense, continuing “Where d’you think they ran off to?”
“Best not to think about it, with those two,” Scott shrugged.
It took a second, but Cleo choked on her drink with a laugh, Scar put his hand over his mouth in realization, and Grian nodded, a bit surprised.
“Fair,” He said.
“Scott,” Cleo said, getting her voice back.
“What?” He asked “C’mon, you’ve seen them.”
They couldn’t argue. They had.
“Plus, I think every 3rd Life duo has hooked up at least once.”
Cleo looked at him sharply. Scott raised his eyebrows teasingly and glanced to the side, where Bdubs was stood in the corner.
“I’ll strangle you,” She said.
“That’s not a denial.”
“Hey wait-” Grian said, brow furrowed. He looked at Scar “Are we a duo?”
Scar blinked. Scott and Cleo laughed.
“What, are you telling me you two still haven’t got together?” Scott asked.
“Right?” Cleo said.
“Wh-” Scar said “Is this like- a thing?”
“Yeah, what’s going on here?” Grian asked.
“Uh, yes?” Cleo responded “C’mon, you two are just so… so-” She made abstract hand movements, vaguely encircling the two.
“Yeah!” Scott agreed.
“What on Earth does that mean?” Grian asked.
The other two just laughed.
“Look, all I’m saying is,” Scott said, “If I’d placed bets on when you two would become a thing, I’d be in debt. And I’m not exactly short on cash.”
“Well, alright, maybe we’ll start dating, then! Since you lot apparently want it so bad,” Grian said, throwing his arm around Scar’s shoulders. Scar blinked again, having been yanked a bit downwards.
“...Okay,” He said eventually. The three of them laughed.
“Guess it’s official!” Grian said, laughing “We’re an item, now!”
Etho, seated on a nearby table, looked up.
“Finally?” He laughed a bit.
“Wow, it’s seriously everyone?” Scar asked “Even Etho?”
Etho furrowed his brows “What's that s'posed to mean?”
“Well, y'know, it’s just-” Scar tried to amend. “...I don’t know, actually. Sorry, Etho.”
Etho laughed.
“And to answer your question, yes,” Scott said “Everyone has been expecting you two to be a couple.”
“I doubt it’s everyone-” Grian started.
“Yeah? Alright then- Oi!” Cleo stood on the stage, grabbing everyone’s attention. Scar put his head in his hands, “Who all here has been waiting for these two to get together?”
She pointed to Scar and Grian. The crowd looked over to where the two were sitting. Grian’s arm was still around Scar’s shoulders. It was a near unanimous ‘I have,’ with a few ‘Took them long enough’ s mixed in. Scott stood next to Cleo.
“Can we get a round of applause for the happy couple, then?”
His wish was obliged, with a bit of whooping mixed in. Scar and Grian were laughing.
Grian woke up the next morning with a headache. It wasn’t pounding, or even really that bad, but it was definitely present. Memories of last night were a bit foggy- he remembered the meet-up, of course, and he remembered having lots of fun, laughing and talking, until they eventually made their way back to Hermitcraft. Other than that, though, no concrete details really stood out. He got out of bed, grabbed a bottle of water, and headed outside. He raised one of his wings to shield his face from the sun.
Boatem had been coming along pretty well so far- they were basically done with the district, actually. Bases completed- at least on the outside-, shops built, paths and foliage expertly placed. Basically all they needed to do now was remove the stray bits of cobble and dirt scaffolding that were left around. And they’d have to do that soon, because the district was having its grand opening tomorrow night.
Grian took a deep breath. He popped the cork off his water bottle. He saw the shadow of someone flying overhead, and before he knew it, Pearl had landed next to him.
“Morning,” Grian said, drinking from the bottle.
“It’s about one in the afternoon,” She replied. Grian snorted. “I take it you all had a fun family reunion.”
Grian nudged her. She laughed.
“Our meet-up was fun, yes,” He said.
“Mhm,” She said. Grian started towards the station he’d built for the G-Train, looking around to make sure it all looked right. She followed.
“So,” she said eventually. Grian looked up, “When were you going to tell me about you and Scar?”
“Huh?” Grian asked.
That’s when he remembered.
“Oh,” He said, “ Oh- Oh, that was just a joke. How’d you hear about that?”
“Gem. And she heard it from someone else, and they heard it from someone else- and it didn’t sound like a joke.”
Grian furrowed his brow.
“So I don’t know how you managed to do a bit that confused the entire server, but kudos.”
“The entire server?” Grian asked.
“Well, I mean, I have heard a lot of people talking about it. Maybe there a few who haven’t heard, but-”
“Oh, what?”
Pearl nodded.
“For f- well, we’re not. I think that… that Scott and Cleo were talking about how everyone’s been wanting us to be a thing-” Pearl nodded. Grian ignored her “-so I…” He trailed off, looking in the distance “Well, you know what, in hindsight maybe it wasn’t the best idea-”
“Oh boy.”
“I- I sort of… I was like ‘Oh, well if you want it so bad, then, uh. Bam. We’re dating now.’”
Pearl sighed.
“And so Scott said like… ‘something-something… happy couple-’ Okay I can see how-” He chuckled a little nervously- “How that’d get lost in translation, that’s… mmh,” He finished eloquently.
Pearl put her head in her hands.
“Grian, you-” She shook her head and looked up, putting her hands on Grian’s shoulders “-are so stupid.”
“Well, alright-!”
“I can say that, as your friend, and as someone who is painfully aware that this exact thing has been- been anticipated-”
“Anticipated?” Grian repeated, face heating up.
“Yes! I’ve only been on the server, like, half a season and even I knew that!”
She huffed and dropped her hands.
“Alright well I- I don’t see why it's such a big deal,” Grian said, “I just go 'round, clear everything up-”
“My thought process is more,” Pearl interrupted, putting up a hand, “‘There’s no way they’ll be able to fix this all by opening night.’”