Rain's Writing Archive

Bedridden (Maybe Isn't Actually The Worst Position To Be In)

Originally posted to Ao3 on 1/27/2023.

A/N: WOOHOO PART THREE!!! i apologize for the pain you are about to go through
edit 9/4/23: ao3 ate my strikethroughs >:/ but they are back now

This was somewhat expected, Scar thinks, but that doesn't make it suck any less.

He knew that over-exerting himself with that dinner would probably end with him stuck in bed for days on end, but it was worth it, wasn't it? He made Mumbo and Grian happy, and even though it didn't end with them getting together, they all had a good time, and that's what mattered… Right?

Yeah. It was worth it, one-hundred percent!

But still, not being able to move is the worst . 

He's glad, not for the first time, that he'd taught Jellie how to get him food for whenever he had a flare up. He couldn't imagine having to get out of bed with the way his muscles felt like he'd been submerged in lava every time he moved. 

He hasn't had one this bad in a while… If it stayed like this too much longer, he'd have to get help from someone else.

Scar… doesn't particularly enjoy asking people for help regarding his disability. In his old server, before Hermitcraft, it always earned him pitying looks, and no one quite took him seriously. It made him feel weak .

Now, he knows that no one will pity him, or act like he's weak or fragile. He's just as capable as the other Hermits, and they all act like it, too.

But that doesn't silence that tiny voice in his head that whispers " weak " every time he asks for help.

So, Scar only asks for help when he's on the edge of a slow and painful death of starvation or dehydration because he can't get out of bed. And right now? He's still got a few days left. And with Jellie around to help, it won't be nearly as painful as it would've been without her.

Scar stares up at the copper roof above his bed, fingers sliding gently through Jellie's fur, ignoring the burning pain in his muscles and joints.

Mumbo is getting worried.

Scar hasn't been seen around Boatem – or anywhere else for that matter – since the dinner he'd hosted for him and Grian. And that was four days ago.

He had suspicion that Scar had overworked himself and was staying in his base to recover, but shouldn't he be better by now? Even if he had to use his wheelchair, it had a built-in elytra so he'd have the same amount of mobility as usual…

What if something happened to him?

Mumbo doesn't like butting in on his friends lives, but if Scar doesn't show by tomorrow night, he'll go check on Scar himself.

Grian isn't worried about Scar.

Really, he isn't! He's an adult – despite how he acts sometimes  – and he can take care of himself. He doesn't need Grian, the guy who has some of the worst self-care habits on the server, to tell him how to take care of himself.

He was fine before Grian joined the server, and he'll still be fine now.

But, if Grian makes a promise to himself to check on Scar tomorrow night, then no one else needed to know.

Except maybe Mumbo.

Considering Scar had invited the moustached man to that fancy dinner earlier this week, Grian figures he wouldn't mind Mumbo going to check on him.

The avian shoots a message to Mumbo, not expecting it to get read until the morning, considering it's… 3:11 AM.

He should sleep.

Grian turns his comm off and pulls out some blueprints for his alley. 

Working could take his mind off the bubble of worry in his chest. Sleeping would only leave him with his thoughts.

<Grian> if scar isnt out and about tomorrow we should go to his base and check on him

Mumbo, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes, stares at the message that Grian sent him. It's timestamped at 3:11 AM.

If Mumbo has to guess, he'll say Grian is still awake, even seven hours later.

He needs to get that bird some self-care.

<MumboJumbo> Sounds like a plan

<MumboJumbo> At least try to get some sleep before tonight

Mumbo climbs out of bed and heads out for the day. There are things he needs to get done today, anyway. It'd keep his mind off Scar as well.

Two birds with one stone and all that.

Mumbo flies back to Boatem a few hours after the sun had hit it's peak, intending to work on his megabase for a while. His plans change though, when he spots Grian pacing around the Boatem hole.

He's tripping over his own feet, dangerously close to falling directly into the hole. Mumbo changes course and dives down to the ground.

Now that he's closer, Mumbo can tell that Grian's eyebags are especially bad.

He didn't get any sleep, did he?

"Hey, Grian," Mumbo says. Grian jumps, wings fluffing up even more than they already had been.

"Oh, hi Mumbo…" He runs a hand through his feathers, and they settle somewhat. "D'you think we should go now? Or should we wait?"

He doesn't elaborate, but Mumbo knows he's talking about checking on Scar.

"I think you might pace yourself into the ground if we wait any more." The tease makes Grian's face burn red. "Let's go."

As though his tail had been caught on fire, Grian shoots into the air without any further prompting. Several rockets later, Mumbo is along side him, heading for Scar's base.

He just hopes he's okay.

They land right outside the door to the main Swaggon cart. Grian, being closer to the door, folds his wings and knocks.

"Scar!" He calls, "Mumbo and I are here to check on you! We haven't seen you in days!"

They both stay quiet for a moment, listening for any sounds coming from inside.

It's completely, uncharacteristically, silent.

"Do you think he's asleep?" Mumbo asks.

"He might be…" Grian tries the doorknob, finds it unlocked, and pushes the door open.

The inside is dark and gloomy. Everything is covered in dust, including the floor, with only small pawprints breaking it up. There's no sign of Scar's footprints or wheel tracks.

Mumbo takes the lead this time, heading over to the ladder that goes up to Scar's bedroom. If he's here, that's most likely where he is.

"Scar? Are you here?" He calls up.

This time, he hears something. Creaking, a grunt, a gasp, and Jellie meowing. Grian seems to hear as well, walking up beside Mumbo, eyebrows pinched.

"Scar!?"

There's a verbal response this time.

"H-hey, Mumbo! Uh- ow, oh gosh… I-I, wasn't expecting anyone to… ah, show up?" His voice is strained, gravelly, and an octave too high to be normal.

"Can we come up?" Grian asks, nervously.

There's shuffling, and Jellie meows again. "It's okay, Jellie. I'm okay… Probably…" Then, louder, he says, "Um- I, I guess?"

Grian wastes no time flying up the ladder (literally) and Mumbo climbs after him.

The sight Mumbo is greeted with when he reaches the top is not a pretty one.

Scar is sitting up in bed, seemingly trying to get into his wheelchair. His legs are tangled in the blanket, his hair is matted and greasy. His usually well-kept-but-still-rugged-looking stubble has grown out and now just looks like a mess. Tears are rolling down his scarred cheeks, which is scrunched up in pain. Jellie is standing at the foot of the bed, and she meows every once in a while.

It looks like he hasn't moved in days.

Maybe he hasn't.

Grian rushes forward, feathers fluffed and looking stressed, to Scar's side. Half the sounds coming from him are mumbled words and the other half are chirps and peeps. His hands hover around Scar, close but not quite touching.

"Grian, G, it's okay, I'm alright." Scar soothes, but Grian chirps in protest.

"No, no you're not-! You're hurt! Scar…!" His words fade into worried cheeps.

Mumbo shakes off his stupor and joins the other two.

Scar looks even worse up close. He's pale, and his cheeks look sunken in. If he's been in bed this whole time, then he probably hasn't been eating as much as he should, if at all, to say nothing of if he's drank anything.

Mumbo lays one hand on Grian's shoulder, and the other on Scar's hand. If Grian's instincts are getting to him and Scar isn't well, then he'll just have to step up and be the voice of reason.

Grian turned his now teary eyes to Mumbo for a moment, but he quickly looks back to Scar. His hovering hands go limp to his sides.

"Hey, Scar. Could you tell us what happened?"

Scar shifts in the bed to sit with his back against the pillows. He winces as he does so.

"Oh, well, it's a funny story, really-" Scar pauses, looking between Grian and Mumbo, then sighs, "Actually, no it's not. I, I overworked myself making that dinner for you two, and my body's been trying to get revenge ever since. I haven't been able to get out of bed…"

Grian croons pitifully.

"Have you been eating?" Mumbo asks.

"Enough to keep me alive, at least. Jellie's been helping." From the end of the bed, Jellie meows as if to agree. "I really wish she could get me drinks as well, but glass bottles to heavy for her to carry."

He hasn't had anything to drink in four days . Jesus.

"You could've told us," Grian warbles, "we would've helped… " There are tears running down Grian's face, now.

"I…" Scar averts his eyes, "I know…"

"Why didn't you?"

A fresh wave of tears spill from Scar's eyes. He still refuses to look at either of them. 

"I- I didn't wanna look weak…"

Mumbo blinks, not quite comprehending.

Scar, weak? Those two things do not belong in the same sentence. Sure, he isn't always the most responsible person on the server, and sometimes he neglects his own health to help others, but those don't mean he's weak . It means he's human. And if he means physically weak, well, Mumbo's seen him pick up entire trees while he's terraforming.

No matter what he means, it's utter nonsense.

"Scar, you're ridiculous." This finally grabs his attention, his eye's finally meeting Mumbo's own. He looks hurt, so Mumbo quickly elaborates, "You're anything but weak! You're the strongest person I know, you spoon!"

"Mumbo… you don't have to- to lie to make me feel better-"

"I'm not lying, Scar, I promise."

Scar sighs. 

"If you say so."

Mumbo decides that's most likely the best he's going to get, and lets the matter go. For the time being, anyway.

Mumbo gives Scar's hand a squeeze before letting go.

"Grian, watch him and make sure he's not being self-deprecating, I'm going to make us all food, and we are all going to eat." Grian nods, and perches on the footboard of the bed, watching Scar like a hawk.

Mumbo leaves the two of them on the bed. Hopefully Grian can knock some sense into him.

Scar relaxes somewhat once Mumbo leaves. 

Why was he so nice ? He doesn't understand, does he actually think those things, or was he lying to protect his feelings? The way his old servermates had done? At first, Scar assumed he had, but now he's not so sure.

It was… scary… to think that someone really thought so highly of him.

What would happen if when he found out Scar wasn't as strong as he thought?

"Hey…"

He turns his attention to Grian, who's wringing his hands together.

"He wasn't lying you know. He doesn't think you're weak, and neither do I."

The air is thick and tense. Scar's tongue feels like lead.

"Why?" Scar demands, an uncharacteristic anger bubbling up from his chest. "I don't understand- why are you both being so nice to me?!"

Grian straightens, affronted, and snaps back.

"Because we care about you , Scar!"

The rage in Scar's chest flees even faster than it had appeared.

"You… care about me…?"

"Yes!" Grian shouts, "We care about you! You're our friend, and neither of us would lie to your face like that."

"How do I know you're not lying right now?"

"You and I both know I'm a horrible liar."

That does track, actually. Grian's always been awful at lying.

"Huh."

Scar relaxes back into the pillows, letting his aching muscles go completely limp for the first time since Grian and Mumbo had arrived.

It's quiet.

The atmosphere should be tense, Scar thinks, but he finds himself breathing easy in Grian's presence. The avian always felt comfortable to be around, even when he was causing absolute mayhem. Even in the midst of last season's Turf War, neither hesitated to hang out as though they weren't the Mayor and Mother Spore. They were just Scar and Grian.

In Third Life, they'd just been Scar and Grian, Grian and Scar. The world was against them, so it was them against the world.

In Last Life, they hadn't been anything. Scar had his Magic Mountain. Grian had the Southlands. 

Scar gave a life to Grian anyway.

The reminder of the death games makes Scar sigh.

Grian tilts his head at him.

"You okay?"

"Y-yeah. I'm alright."

Grian's eyebrows scrunch together. He climbs down from his perch and makes himself comfortable sitting next to Scar, leaning against the headboard.

"Remember, you can tell me – or Mumbo, or anyone really – if you're not." 

Scar doesn't quite believe it. Why would anyone want to hear about his issues, especially if they couldn't do anything about it? What good would they get out of hearing Scar complain about his life?

"I know," Scar says anyway.

"Good."

Mumbo chooses this moment to return, with bread rolls and what looks to be a bag of raw carrots.

He doesn't bat an eye at Grian no longer being on his perch, and just sits down on the edge of the bed, passing some rolls to Grian and Scar while rambling.

"So, I found these rolls in a shulker downstairs, I have no idea if they're still edible or not, and they're really stale, but it's probably better than nothing? And I found these carrots in an iced chest, so they're probably fine, if you guys don't wanna eat stale bread." He gives the bag of carrots a shake for emphasis.

Scar takes a bite of the bread he was given absentmindedly.

Mumbo was right, it is really stale.

But, Scar hadn't had any proper food aside from what Jellie could get herself in days, and with his two favorite people beside him, talking about who knows what, something in him snaps.

The tears start flowing without his permission.

He's sitting in bed, in debilitating pain, eating stale bread with the people he loves… and he's crying.

"Scar?!"

"Oh crap, are you okay? What happened?"

Scar sniffles and laughs at their instantaneous worry, rubbing the tears from his eyes. He gives them the brightest smile he can manage.

"You guys are just- you're, gosh, you two are amazin' ."

Scar has never seen anyone turn so red so fast.

Grian and Mumbo both stutter over their responses, while Scar laughes his heart out.

Getting over his giggle fit, he wraps an arm around Grian's shoulders and makes grabby hands at Mumbo until the man sits on his other side, at which point he wraps an arm around his waist, too.

"Thanks," Scar tells them. He feels them both looking at him, even as he stares at the blanket in his lap. He wills himself to not start crying again. "For being here, I mean. You didn't have to."

"It's no trouble," Mumbo says.

"We want to be here," Grian promises.

Scar's vision is blurring again.

"I'm getting tired," he says, abruptly changing the subject, and settling back into laying on the bed. "I'm gonna go to sleep."

Mumbo nods, and he and Grian and get up to leave.

"Wait-"

They stop in their tracks, turning back to the bed. They look worried, like something could've happened to him between them getting up and now.

"Um, stay? With me?" Scar asks, giving the two the biggest, saddest puppy dog eyes he can muster.

"Yeah, we will." Grian flies back to his previous spot in bed, casually burying himself under the covers and cuddling into Scar's side as though he had done it a thousand times before. He had.

Mumbo smiles fondly, and sits down again, and Scar smiles at him, proud of his success. Mumbo cards his fingers through Scar's hair. The rhythmic movement and warm, sweater-clad arms wrapped around his middle lull Scar's already sleepy brain to the brink of unconsciousness. 

Already teetering on the edge of sleep, Scar only barely notices as Mumbo leans down, and presses a kiss to his forehead. 

Is he sure he's not already dreaming?

"Go ahead and sleep, Scar."

And he does.

A/N: everyone who leaves a comment gets a virtual kiss on the forehead
im on tumblr at @dead-man-in-a-ditch as well!

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