Chapter Text
The moon was low on the horizon, dawn approaching quickly. A rustle of paper could be heard underneath the bedsheets, a small glow poking through the soft cotton like a firefly.
Ranboo pushed his circle glasses up onto the bridge of his nose, wanting to finish writing before he eventually had to rise. His ink pot that he had been thinning with water to keep it from running out had turned a translucent murky black, the remains of the ink spinning around lazily in the clear liquid. He needed to buy more- he just kept forgetting to do so.
A drip of candle wax fell onto the book that rested on his lap, the pages crinkling under the pressure his hands was exerting. His eyebrows furrowed as he struggled to recall what happened the day before, memories just out of reach.
Remembering had never come easy to Ranboo, memories drifting out of reach and between his fingers like clouds. They came and went, sometimes forgetting simple things like where he had put something, other times forgetting what day it was, where he was.
Ranboo winced as stray beams of light hit his eyes, slivers of light peeking out from over the walls of the Empire, sun rising for a new day.
He let out a yawn as he stretched with his arms above his head.
He had to get ready now, didn't he?
He closed the glossy wooden door behind him as he stepped into the library, the bell that hung above it sounding out cheerfully. The aroma of vanilla and almonds floated through the air, the older books thick with the smell. Soon, new books would come in. Whenever they arrived was always his favorite part of his job, hours spent combing through them before the place opened, only him leaning into the comfy plush chairs that were dotted in between the tall bookshelves.
The fireplace burned fiercely behind its grate, heating up the building from the frigid weather that always loomed no matter what time of year. It was a side effect from being in the Empire, the freezing cold never left. The winters were harsh, the wind so sharp that it cut at his cheeks and the snow and ice piled up for months and months.
When he had first arrived from Ender, it had been hard to endure. He wasn't used to the cold, coming from a nation which only experienced one temperature year-round. He remembered feeling the sudden drop in heat, the cold hitting his face like a brick wall and making his pale skin flushed pink. He had no thick clothes either, forced to brave through the falling snowflakes that stayed frozen on his skin. It was a good job endermen (him too, as half of one) ran on lower heat than humans, so the delicate flakes didn't melt on his flesh and scorch it.
He couldn't remember if there was someone waiting for him back in Ender, memory blurred with the eraser of time. The fact he left said enough, though. He took a long journey to get here, and that was enough to tell him that he did not want to go back.
He knew he wandered for a long time, years of his life lost in the foggy haze that surrounded his memory. He could only remember the occasional moment, (like how sour the taste of chorus fruit on his tongue and the sickly feeling from the first time he had teleported, for instance) but why would he need those memories when he couldn't even recall what he was?
He could remember having to crane his neck to look up to full-blooded Enders, he remembered feeling small, childish and just wrong.
Full Enders were tall and elegant and content with living ostracized from all the other lands and Ranboo just...
Ranboo just wasn't. He was awkward and clumsy, pointed ears and fangs sharper than any other Ender. It was nice to live in a place where people had practically never seen Enders before, so their focus was just on the fact that he was Ender, not that he was a mix of one. (If they noticed him being Ender at all, for not many Enders travelled out of the land they called home, thus resulting in not many regions knowing their traits.)
Enders also had flat, plated teeth like nutcrackers, adapted for biting into the dense fruit of their homeland, and he didn't! He had inherited sharp canines that poked out slightly over his lower lip, oddly sharp, much sharper than the rest of his teeth, their only purpose seemingly being to isolate him further. It just wasn't fair, why was he cast aside for what he was, called a mongrel? He didn't ask for it, it wasn't fair!
He snapped out of his trance, his head turning towards the front of the aisles so fast it felt like whiplash. The door closed shut as someone slipped through, shaking off their coat. "Do'ya know where the cookery books are, lad?"
He struggled out of the register, his cloak snagging on a hanging screw, "Ah, they're down here!" He says, hurrying to the bookshelf in question.
"Hey," a soft voice called out from in front of the counter, "Ranboo! It's your break!" Ranboo was brought abruptly back into the real world, jolting up slightly. He was sure that sleep was lingering on his face from his daydreaming, the fact that he stayed up for nearly the entire night before evident.
"Oh, thank you Tubbo," Ranboo smiled, giving the boy a small wave, "I forgot."
Tubbo came to the library quite often, the gardener always looking to find books to show his mysterious best friend. He had developed a friendship with the shorter boy and considered him one of his close friends.
"I know," was the short reply, cheeks puffed like he was trying to keep himself from laughing.
Ranboo pulled out his glasses from the drawer in the desk and rested them on his nose. "I need to get some writing stuff, I'll be back in a bit," Ranboo yawned, his jaw unhinging slightly, moving sluggishly to the exit. "Watch the place for me, will ya?"
"Will do, big man!"
The door opened with a bing, the crisp air whirling his beige cloak around his feet. He set off with a brisk pace, tapping his fingers against his thigh to distract himself from the crowd. The market was a short walk from the library, being in the centre of the town and all. It was busy, most people having woke up and going to work, shopping, or whatever it was that they were doing. He didn't like crowds. Too many people. Too many stares.
It was easy to be spotted too, having an advantage of height over most people. He could ignore their gazes, it was fine, just slightly uncomfortable.
He ducked under a wall as he walked, glancing briefly at the towering blackstone walls that defended the entrance to the nation. The empire's walls wrapped around it like a blanket, farms and fields placed outside the walls (with guards for protection, obviously). It made the land feel safe, like it was a shield. It was implemented some years ago by the Emperor and his sons. It helped also, knowing the Royal Family for having the most elite fighters the realms had ever known, and the military power they held no-one would challenge them in the right mind.
His shoes clicked against the stone bricks as he arrived at the market centre, colorful wooden booths decorated in eye-catching ribbons and fabric. All types of different foods decorated the stands, ranging from fruits to cheeses to pastries. It was the place to go if you wanted- well, wanted anything really, you may just have to look a little longer.
Luckily enough, Ranboo didn't have too, the ink and quill owners knowing him well.
He rushed over to the brightly-colored stand, pulling out several small silver coins from his pocket in preparation, knowing the pricings by heart. "Karl!" he said, relieved that he was at the stall, "How are you?"
Karl turned round to look at Ranboo, his vividly colored jumper balling over his fists. He smiled cheerfully, already picking up a well of ink and tying the lid securely with a rope, "Ranboob! Used your ink already?"
A groan escaped his lips as he dragged his hand down his face. "Well... yes, but that is not my name Karl..." he whined, taking the offered object and dropping his coins into the outstretched palm in front of him.
Spread across the ink sellers face was a mischievous grin. "Yeah, yeah, sure. Sapnap!" he called behind him, leaning his face into his hand, "Ranboob is saying that his name isn't Ranboob!"
Sapnap looked back from where he was selling from the opposing stand, "Really? I think he's just forgot," he said, trying not to let his face break out in a smile.
At the sight Karl's (fiance? husband?) co-owner, Ranboo broke out into a nervous sweat.
"It's really not- are you two gaslighting me..?" he pondered, "But I've really got to now so goodbye!" he rushed, tripping over his words in haste. Karl laughed, a high pitched happy sound, and waved him goodbye enthusiastically. "Bye bye, boob boy!"
Ranboo sighed, pressing a hand to his mouth to contain the giggles that threatened to spill from his lips.
He trod lightly on his way to the library, trying to avoid stepping on the cracks in the bricks. It was a childish game, but it was something to delay his return. Happy chirps escaped from his mouth, holding his new blank journal and quills that he couldn't quite hold, having to clutch them close to his chest.
He didn't want to go back to the library, knowing that it still had a couple more hours until it's doors closed, way after the sun had fallen out of the sky.
Ranboo pushed open the door quietly, not wanting to make much of an entrance to the remaining people that resided. The bell chimed out for his arrival; echoing around the shop and the aisles like a heavenly orchestra. He flopped down on one of the armchairs, exhaling softly and head resting on his chest.
Out of the corner of his eye he could spot Tubbo, sitting on one of the cushions, chatting absentmindedly to a customer.
"Tubbo..." he dragged out, feeling the brown haired boy's attention turn on him, "You should be at your friend's house, right?"
The younger boy just blinked at him, confused and blank faced.
"Oh yeah!" he gasped, "I've got to go meet Tommy! Put away my things for me, would you?" He hurried, slinging his bag over his shoulder and running out the door, leaving a pile of books where he was sitting in a flurry. Ranboo just watched as his small figure disappeared out of view, out of sight through the windows. He sat still for a moment longer, flopped on the chair before he reached over to where Tubbo was sitting just moments ago.
Ranboo picked up the books reluctantly, taking note of the way Tubbo had carelessly folded the corners down. The paper wrinkled under his fingers as he tried to rub the creases out, wincing at the way it felt like rough sandpaper.
He placed the books back on their designated platform resignedly, a breathy huff escaping his mouth and turning to mist in the air.
Huh.
Tubbo must've forgotten to close the door in his haste to leave. he didn't do it often, but knowing how easily distracted the gardener was it was likely (and he didn't know who else would forget too, aside from himself).
He ignored it, turning back to the shelves as he sorted through the books, the shelves in disarray. Ranboo trilled to himself faintly, cheerfully bopping his head as he grouped the shelf back together.
"Heh," someone coughed behind him.
Ranboo spun around quickly, startled, "Holy cow, I am so sorry, I didn't realise you were there," he spluttered, words tumbling out of his mouth.
The stranger looked away awkwardly, their oddly-colored pink hair (not that Ranboo could say much, his being spilt black and white) tied up into a ponytail with a red ribbon. "Calm down, calm down- I didn't mean to spook ya', just wanted to ask if you have any books on greek mythology?" they said, hands open in front of them placatingly and looking at him through the locks of hair that fell over his eyes.
Ranboo averted his eyes, (being an Ender got him used to not looking directly at people, it being custom to look at their hands for respect) noticing the claw rings that dusted his knuckles.
He brightens at the question, he can make it up to them for not noticing them! "Ah, we do! They are right over here!" he babbled, leading them over to the section and pulling out a book. He knew where it was almost by heart, reading it often lead to putting it in a place where he would remember. Ranboo held it out to them gently.
Their eyes flickered down to the book and back up to his eyes and took the book from his grasp, opening the cover and looking inside.
"Thanks."
They stood still together for a moment, the silence suffocatingly loud. Ranboo shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
"So what's your favorite part of greek mythology?" Ranboo inquired, hand reaching up to rub the back of his neck.
"..."
"..."
The stranger caved, "Ariadne," they muttered, staring at the floor like admitting it embarrassed them. Ranboo recognised the name (it being one of his favorite tales as well).
"Oh, nice! It's one of my favorites too! Why do you like it?" he bubbled, a smile stronger than the sun spreading across his face.
They looked up surprised, almost like they expected to be made fun of for their interest. "I think the way she was abandoned after doing everything for Theseus was a bit," they moved their hand up and down like a scale, "meh, if you ask me. Cringe move."
Ranboo nodded enthusiastically, happy to get his acquaintance to open up, "Yeah, yeah!" he agreed. "This is your first time coming here, isn't it? I haven't seen you here before," he added, ears flickering upward curiously.
"Uh, yeah, my brothers decided it would be funny to hide all my books. They just forgot I could, like, go to a library," they huffed. "The name's Technoblade," they offered, hand outstretched in front of him.
Ranboo shook it tentatively, "Ranboo."
"I have a feeling this is the start of a wonderful friendship, you know?"