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It was always a lovely day when two people were fighting.
Ducking to the side, one of them slammed an elbow into the other’s chest. He stumbled back with a grunt, and his attacker grabbed his arm. A foot was planted in his chest, and they grunted as they were flipped. Hard-packed dirt slammed into their shoulders. The resounding smack of lean muscle and armour on the earth sounded off. It didn’t feel as bad as it sounded.
With a wheeze, the attacker grabbed onto his shoulder, and he sucked in a breath. Pink hair spilled from a loose, intricate braid, and he twisted to the side. Slamming his opponent into the ground, he kicked back, forced himself upright. The momentum sent him flipping. Planting a gloved hand in the dirt, bare fingertips brushing against the pebbles, he easily righted himself and then looked ahead. Meanwhile, his opponent stumbled to their feet themself, panting.
The two faced off in the middle of the sandy clearing.
Panting, one reached up and wiped at their nose. Blood smeared across the back of their hand. “You’re pretty good at that.” They panted, sniffing and cursing under their breath. “Did you have to almost break my nose, though?”
Snorting, the one with the pink hair tossed the locks over one shoulder, pulled a tie off his wrist and quickly began lacing strands into another braid. This time, though, he didn’t leave it down, tied it up at the back of his head in a bun. “I did not almost break your nose. I was going easy on you.”
“Yeah, I know that .” Groaning, they stumbled over to where the pair kept their waters, took a long drink from their own bottle. Once they finished, they picked up his, asked, “Water?” He grunted in response. Flipping the bottle once in their hand, they tossed it towards him.
He caught it easily.
“Thanks.” He mumbled, tipping his head back to take a long swig. They watched him for a moment. Then, they started checking their face over, treating the scrapes and bruises the pair had beaten into one another as the sun rose. Currently, heat was raining down on their backs. Capping the bottle, Techno squinted up at the sky, wrinkled his nose almost in disgust as he braced an arm over his eyes. “I hate sunny days.”
“That’s your opinion.” Eret replied, running a hand through brown curls. Replacing their sunglasses, they stretched and winced. “Ugh, I think I slipped a rib.”
“Need help?” Eret stretched awkwardly, making a few faces. After a moment, though, they shook their head. “You sure?”
“I’m alright.” Tucking the water bottle into their inventory, they sighed and tipped their head back. “We done here?”
“Yeah, if you’re alright with that. We might as well head back to the house anyways. I’m sure Bad’s made, like, sandwiches or something.” Nodding, Eret started walking along. Stepping on the blade of his axe, Techno grabbed the weapon as it snapped into the air.
Their little sparring session had only lasted a couple hours. Still, both of them were exhausted. Besides, the heat was beginning to really hit for the day. It’d be better to get back to the main house, collect themselves for the patrols they’d have to do later in the day.
It was late spring, almost early summer. They’d been doing the patrols. Eret themself wasn’t sure why. Something they’d started not too long after Ranboo got to them, after he started speaking for the first time.
In the past couple of months they’d gotten to know the young man, he had started growing and getting just…better. It was kind of inspiring. The kid was a sweetheart, had a brilliant personality once he started to show it. Once he started to get used to everyone.
If Eret had a guess, Ranboo was part of why they started doing the patrols. They had one in the evening. If they remembered the schedule right (and usually they did), then Techno, Dream, and Phil usually had the brutal noontime patrol. Eret and the others had to watch over the kids. Ranboo, Tubbo, Tommy, even Niki and Jack, never had patrols. Sapnap occasionally had one, when he was with the other Manhunters. Never without Dream, though. Never without Dream, rarely without George, Ant, and Bad there as well.
Taking a breath, Eret started walking towards the server house with Techno right behind him.
Their shoes crunched along the mixed gravel and dirt of the path. For the most part, they were quiet, ducking underneath the shade of the various oaks and birch trees lining their streets and paths. They’d grown some, leaves bright green and flourishing in the spring. It was nice. Bees flittered along the flowers and bushes, and Eret smiled softly.
“Tubbo’s apiary seems to be doing really well lately.” Eret said, looking over to Techno. Smiling, he nodded. “I hope everything’s alright back home. Ranboo’s been…kind of quiet lately.”
“He’s just worried. Thought we saw something while we were out and then got all nervous. That’s why some more people are tagging along on the patrols.” Techno explained, looking over. “So far, I don’t think there’s been any issues. I think it’s just something to keep an eye on.”
“Probably a smart idea.” Eret commented. Looking to the side, watching some of Techno’s horses trotting around through the pastures. “So, how’s that one horse you picked up doing? She alright now?”
“Oceana?” Eret nodded. “Oh, yeah, she’s alright. Doing a whole lot better.” Looking down at his knuckles, some of which were busted and scraped, scabbed over from punches that had not been thrown at Eret, Techno smiled. “I’m sure he’s not going to come anywhere near her for a little while. There’s a much better owner out for her somewhere else.”
“Is she out there somewhere?” Eret asked, nodding towards the animals. Looking out, Techno shook his head. “I thought she was a chestnut.”
“Nope. Dapple grey.” Frowning, Eret glanced down. Smiling, Techno nudged his elbow and explained, “Oceana’s a dapple grey, but Seashell, Cowrie, Wave, and Tide are all chestnuts. You probably just associated the names together, they’re pretty similar.” Glancing over, Eret nodded and smiled.
When they got back to the house, both of them were a lot sweatier than they had been when they left the training grounds.
Cold air washed over them both as they ducked inside from the porch. Closing his eyes, Techno tipped his head back and took a breath. Eret, meanwhile, kicked their shoes off, made their way into the living room, and dropped down onto the couch. Ranboo, Tommy, and Tubbo were spilled across the different places as well. Lying on the floor, Pog was panting, tongue lolled out of her mouth. One of Tommy’s hands dangled off the couch, brushed against her fur.
“Hey, Eret.” Tubbo said, slumped on some of the bean bags in the corner. His eyes were partially open, probably from dozing. Not that Eret could blame him, Tubbo had been up early when Ranboo went wandering and they needed to find him. Most of them had been a bit freaked out, obviously. After all, it wasn’t like Ranboo often went somewhere without telling them. He didn’t seem comfortable ditching them all. Originally, he had lived somewhere different. Then there was the storm, the time that they’d found him and carried him home bloody and barely conscious and had to treat him in the kitchen. Since then, he’d been moved into the server house permanently.
Speaking of Ranboo, he was curled on one of the other couches, sleeping. Eret didn’t want to disturb him, walked over and adjusted the blankets so that he wouldn’t overheat but wouldn’t freeze either. He always seemed to run colder on one side and hot on the other.
In the kitchen, Bad and Skeppy were sort of in their own little dance of making food with ease. When it came to Minx and Schlatt stress-baking, they were usually screaming at one another. Meanwhile, with Skeppy and Bad, there was an odd sort of grace to it. Naturally moving about with one another like they’d done it a thousand times before without even needing to think about it. In the middle of it all, Quackity was sitting on the corner, presumably texting Karl and Sapnap while they were out getting groceries and the like. There was a spoon shoved in his mouth and a big jar of marshmallow fluff right beside him. Tears were running down his face.
“Quack, are you alright?” Eret asked, getting up. Yes, they had a concerned tone to their voice. They did not care in the slightest. Nope, they were proud of being sensitive. The server did not stan toxic masculinity or toxic femininity.
Looking up, Quackity started crying even more. Oh, no. What happened. “Do I need to beat Sapnap and Karl up?”
Taking the spoon out of his mouth and grabbing more marshmallow fluff (it was definitely his, Eret could see the duck tape across the side), Quackity said, “Someone left a hateful comment and my platonic fiancés are sending me nonstop memes and compliments and I don’t know what to do with it.”
Looking over at Bad and Skeppy, Eret arched an eyebrow. Bad nodded, then went back to making more PB&Js. Beside him, elbows brushing against Bad’s, Skeppy was setting up the plates. “Alright, so this is a good cry?” Quackity nodded, sniffed and shovelled more marshmallow fluff into his mouth. “Do you want a hug?”
“I’m going to go do some hacking.” Techno announced, disappearing into the hallway. When Quackity nodded, Eret made their way through the kitchen, hopped up on the counter beside their friend, and pulled them close. Quackity’s beanie was different, one that Sapnap had probably given him.
For the next fifteen minutes, Quackity started gushing about his platonic fiancés, and Eret listened. Because that was the polite thing to do. Besides, positivity venting was just as valid as negativity venting, and just as welcome.
Smiling, Eret looked over the others, took another breath.