Chapter Text
Ranboo stood limply against the door frame. Tall bastard, even taller than Tommy. In Tubbo’s opinion though, he looked so small standing in the open door. “What’s going on?” the android asked, eyes wide with fear. Tommy was too mad to give an answer so he ended up just rambling about the two jackass detectives. “-And you,” he turned to Tubbo, “you didn’t tell me you were an android! My best friend has been keeping this shit from me!” Tubbo frowned and says, “if you weren’t so adamant about your hatred for androids then I would’ve told you but I was scared you would fucking kill me!”
Ranboo just stood there awkwardly as the two boys argued. Eventually they burned themselves out and collapsed on the couch together, Ranboo scrunched up on the floor looking at them. “So how the hell are you an android?” Tommy asks, looking over at Tubbo who furrows his brows. “What fuck do you mean? I was made in a factory and I'm sure as hell not breathing am I?” Tommy shakes his head and continues, “I mean like you don’t act like an android. You’re all emotional and never even listen to anyone.” Tubbo groans, “you’re such a dumbass.” Tommy gasps and says, “you’re a right bitch!”
Tubbo smiles a bit at the playful bickering with his best friend. Tubbo sighs and looks down, “I’m deviant. Have been for a few years. I was scared you’d kill me or turn me in if I told you.” Tommy gives his friend a sad look, but before he’s able to say anything the android from before is speaking up. “You’re a deviant?” Tubbo cringes at the fact that this android, which is programmed to be against deviancy, just heard him say that. Before the brunette can argue though Ranboo continues, “holy crap- I didn’t know there were more- I thought I was alone. I-”
Tommy groaned, “There’s two of you now? I’m struggling to process the fact that my best friend is a deviant and now I’m stuck with you!” Tubbo sighs and gets up, “it doesn’t matter. I have to leave anyway. I suggest you do too, Ranboo.” Tommy got up after the other boy and shook his head in disbelief, “what the fuck? Where are you going? Are you coming back?” Tubbo hesitated but shook his head. “It’s too dangerous. Those assholes work for the police. I’ll get deactivated if I get caught.”
Tommy furrowed his brows and reached for Tubbo, “I'm coming with you. You’re my best friend and I’m not leaving you alone. Ranboob can even come too!” Ranboo cringes at the name, “it’s actually Ranboo, but I’m not opposed to traveling. My side is still messed up though.” Tubbo smiled softly at his friends and said, “alright alright. We should pack then.”
-------
The teens pack a backpack each with first aid supplies (both for humans and androids), water, clothes, food, money, and anything else they deemed important. Ranboo and Tommy were walking out of the door as Tubbo paused by the T.V. stand. After a brief moment of hesitation , Tubbo grabs the business card sitting there, slipping it into his back pocket.
The boys walked for about 45 minutes. They would’ve been faster if it weren’t for Ranboo still not being fully repaired. Tubbo already promised that he’d finish when they get far enough away from their old apartment and the busier sections of the city. They eventually came across an empty diner. It wasn’t busy and it definitely didn’t look like it would be aunty,e soon so the boys walked in. They were greeted by a man with vibrant green hair, who was busy wiping down the bar. He nodded to the boys and gestured to the seats. Tubbo sat down first, followed by Tommy who sat next to his friend, and lastly Ranboo who winced as he sat down.
Androids don’t have nerves, so the “pain” they feel is simply their processors reacting to a damage in the system. It’ll be an easy fix for Tubbo once they get the opportunity.
The green haired man, who the boys can now see is named “Sam” by his name tag, hands them each a menu. He noticed Ranboo’s apparent pain, but didn’t say much about it, just raised an eyebrow and continued through his usual tasks. Ranboo and Tubbo don’t order anything, being androids, but Tommy gets a small sandwich. “Are you boys not hungry?” Sam asks, bringing Tommy his sandwich. Ranboo and Tubbo look at each other before shrugging. “We ate earlier,” Tubbo says. Sam still seemed suspicious of them but nodded.
Tommy ate as Tubbo talked to him, talking about where they’re going when they didn’t think Sam was listening. Ranboo was watching the door, keeping an eye out for any shady person. The last thing any of the boys want is someone causing trouble for them. “We need to find somewhere to stay the night. There’s a hotel 10 miles in the direction we’re going and we would get there at sundown if we travel at the rate we’re going. Approximately 3.33 miles an hour on foot, not including breaks,” Tubbo says earning a confused look from Tommy. “How’d you know that, big man?” Ranboo has to hold back a laugh as Tubbo explains quiet enough to where Sam doesn’t hear, “I’m a fucking computer.” The boys talked even after Tommy finished. Sam wasn't having an influx of customers so he let the boys plan what they were doing.
Around 15 minutes after the boys showed up, a tall, broad-shouldered, pink haired man walked in asking for the usual. He sat a seat away from Ranboo and as he sat there, the three boys shut up almost immediately. The pink haired man glanced at the boys while Sam went back to get him his order. The man didn’t pay the boys much mind and instead pulled out a laptop from his back. It looked like he was working on something, but Ranboo had a hard time seeing what it was.
The boys silently sat there for about a minute, mumbling amongst themselves. “It’ll look suspicious if we leave right when someone walks in,” Tommy says. Ranboo chimes in, “plus we didn’t pay.” Tubbo shakes his head and says, “we have to go. We already have a plan so far, we can talk more at the-” The boys are startled out of their conversation when the man’s phone rang.
The pink haired man sighed and pulled out the phone,
“Hello?.. Oh hey, Wilbur. Is this about the deviant stuff?... What do you mean kids? Where are their parents?.... You know my thing with orphans,” the man chuckles a bit but continues, “what do I have to look out for?....” He hums in acknowledgement and glances at the three boys, peering over, trying to seem inconspicuous. The pink haired man raises an eyebrow at the boy as Wilbur describes the teens he met over the phone. “I’ll call you back, Wilbur. I’ll send you my location.”
Tubbo is already grabbing the other teens by the wrists and starting to drag them out of the diner, leaving a couple dollars in cash on the counter. Before Ranboo could follow the other boys out of the door a strong hand grabbed his shoulder. It wasn’t inherently threatening but the deviant couldn’t help but panic when he was spun around. Tubbo immediately got in between the two. “What the fuck, man! Get your hands off my friend!” Techno put his hands up in defense. “Look can we just talk. I don’t know what you have to do with this, but I just want to ask some questions, ok?” Tommy and Tubbo looked at each other, Ranboo, then the man. “Fine, but if cops show up we’re out,” Tommy said, eyes narrowing.
The four sat in one of the booths along the wall. Getting a better look at the man Tubbo recognized him as Techno Blade. Freelance detective and mercenary. Most frequently aligned with the Craft agency. This was fine. Just a few questions and he can get Ranboo and Tommy as far away as possible.
Techno is the first to open his mouth after having what seemed to be a very one sided glaring contest with Tommy, the younger not taking his eyes off the detective. “Do you know what you have to do with deviant stuff? Wilbur didn’t explain anything over the phone. Whatever you say stays between us and the Crafts. I’m not turning in a bunch of kids.” The teenagers send wary glances amongst themselves before Tubbo says in a low voice, “we might have a little something to do with it, but that’s all you need to know.”
“Alright, what about your parents? Where are they at?” Techno asks, looking at Tommy in particular. “Skip,” the blonde says, glaring. “That’s not how this works, kid,” the pinkette says leaning forward. “Then we’ll leave.” Tommy is glaring the man down in the eyes. After a few seconds of silence Techno sighs and leans back in the seat. “Fine, but I’m not letting you go until you answer that one. Second question then, and I have my own theories, so don’t lie, are you deviants?”