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1.
"Hey." Tommy grins, mirth flitting through the bond when his gaze meets Ranboo's. He drifts over to where the witch is leaning against the counter, tails fluttering and dripping molten rock behind him. (They don't set the house on fire, thank Prime.) The blobs sit for a second or two, then vanish with nothing more than puffs of smoke left behind. He holds a basket of mixed berries close to his body—all coming from the small garden hidden somewhere deep in the forest.
"Got your fuckin' berries, 'Boo boy."
"Thanks, Toms," Ranboo smiles, reaching down to run his fingers through Tommy's messy curls. His hair's getting rather long, almost down to the blonde's shoulders with glamour and to his mid-back without. They'll have to cut it soon, Ranboo muses to himself. "How was your day?"
Tommy sits the berry basket down and groans. "It surely was a day, Ranboob. Almost died in a berry bush, chatted shit with the forest bitches, the usual. How’s sigil making going, big man?”
“I made a new good luck sigil and a couple protection ones, not sure if they work though.” The witch responds while glancing at the Witch’s Brew simmering on the stove. It’s nothing special, just a vegetable soup recipe passed down from his great great grandparents that acts as a stimulant of sorts. It works better than any product marketed as a “miracle cure for sleepiness,” and Ranboo could certainly make a profit if he started a business— not that Ranboo plans on telling anyone about it outside of his small coven let alone selling it.
Mauve mist curls into a spiral above the cauldron, dotted with fig-coloured shimmering runes— barely distinguishable from the rounded particles they’re mixed in with, but there all the same. It only takes a flick of his wrist to stir the brew clockwise as he murmurs, “As the fiery energy of Mars and Fafnir flow, runes of Sowilo and Uruz will glow. So I say it, then it shall be, sleep will no longer have a hold on me."
It's quiet while Ranboo stirs in some more herbs and Tommy works on making some pie dough, silence only interrupted by the clinking of the ladle against the pot and the wind's howling as it slams against wooden walls of the cabin. They work like this for a little less than an hour before the ping of a communicator sounds out once, twice, three times, making Tommy let out an exaggerated sigh. Ranboo glances over the familiar's shoulder, watching as Tommy wipes his hands on his white shirt then grabs the bright red communicator from his bag.
<Tubbo_> tommy i know you can see thsi, stop hiding and getover here NOW
<TommyInnit> wjat the fuc k? why?
<Dream>: Don't act innocent, Tommy. We know what you did.
<JackManifoldTV> ^
<TommyInnit> biucthc i haven't done shit im jsut fucking sitting her ethis is slander
<Tubbo_> you burnt down george's house dream said he saw you. come to community house
"What the fuck?" Tommy breathes out, disbelief clear in his voice. Ranboo can't find it in himself to disagree with that sentiment. Tommy's hands shake as he stuffs his communicator away, expression eerily blank for all of two seconds before it crumbles into one of anger.
"I've'n't done jack shit! I’ve been collecting berries all day. But, it's always my fault, innit? It's my fault for being attached to something, it's my fault for not wanting to bow down to Dream, it's my fault for being me . If they wanna be angry, I'll give 'em a reason to be angry." Tommy growls.
Ranboo tugs the blonde against his chest, a soothing warble growing in his throat. Well, as soothing as he can manage while freaking out. This isn’t good, this isn’t good at all. Ranboo had hoped that Dream would come to his senses— get over his stupid obsession with control— but he guesses he was being too optimistic. He could’ve stopped this, he could’ve—
He’s knocked out of his self-deprecating thoughts by a light smack to the back of his head. Tommy looks at him like he’s an idiot, clicking his tongue when Ranboo goes to speak.
“I can practically hear you overthinking. This ain’t your fault, bitch boy Dream just can’t handle a big man such as myself! ‘Sides, maybe this’ll help us bring him down, yeah? Trick’im into thinking he’s got us hooked, then fuck his plans up.”
Another ping comes from Tommy’s communicator. “I better go.” He frowns. Blue meets netherrack and moss green, and Ranboo reluctantly lets the boy go— though not before rubbing his cheek against Tommy's temple.
“Be safe!” The Enderian calls out as Tommy drags himself to the door. Tommy throws a smile over his shoulder, then a finger gun.
“Safe is one of my middle names, bitch!"
And then he’s gone.
2.
Exile is hard on the both of them.
Tommy is used to acting, used to building a fake personality and playing up his actions to make it more believable. The Tommy that most people know is loud and rude and emotionally attached to music disks. He's the reason for all of the conflict that has befallen the lands of Essempi and L'Manburg, and only he has yet to realize it. So, it's easy to scream at Tubbo for betraying him, for choosing a country over his best friend. He still feels betrayed —Tubbo is was one of his best friends— but not to the extent that everyone was led to believe.
When Dream starts his rather pitiful attempts at manipulation, Tommy goes along with it. He knows that the man thinks of himself as above everyone else; a deity amongst weaker beings. It's funny, the way that he thinks he's got Tommy wrapped around his finger when it couldn't be farther from the truth. Dream is an open book to both Ranboo and Tommy, his plans already picked apart by the time he executes them. It doesn't surprise them when he tampers with the letters they send back and forth, or when he closes off visiting access, or when he bans Tommy from the nether for supposed "suicidal behaviour."
It sucks, not being able to see each other as much as either of them would like, but they make it work. They meet late at night sometimes, Ranboo almost always coming to Logstedshire. Other times, they meet on a little island that's halfway between L'Manburg and Logstedshire.
Finding time for one another in a world desperate to see them fail is difficult, which only makes the time they spend together more treasured. Of course, they can never have anything to themselves for long.
"You should'a seen the hissy fit he threw," Tommy chortles. "Killed Henry, fucking bitch."
They're lying on damp grass a bit away from the blonde's campsite and staring up at the stars, Tommy ranting about how shit this whole exile thing is. Ranboo listens, interrupting every so often with a laugh, or a question, or dumb commentary. It's nice, Tommy thinks, shuffling closer to the Enderian. He breathes in the earthy redolence that clings to Ranboo— hints of leather mixed dulled cedar and dirt— and heaves a sigh. The phoenix feels Ranboo's magic gripping his own, and he relaxes further into the other's side. Safe .
He goes silent, allowing Ranboo to start rambling about the happenings of L'Manburg and the Badlands, and however many other countries there are on this goddamn server. Tommy drifts somewhere between sleep and consciousness, utterly content to stay buried in Ranboo's side forever.
"You won't believe what-" The telltale whirring of a nether portal interrupts the enderman, and Tommy snaps his head up to lock eyes with Ranboo. Leaves crunch under heavy steps, a familiar voice calling out, "Tommy?"
A breathless moment, then Tommy's eyes widen and he's quick to let his wings fade out. His glamour activates to seep the colour out of the blonde's eyes and scar his skin. No one visits this late; hell, no one visits period aside from Ranboo and Dream. He urges Ranboo to his feet, pushes him towards the forest, and whispers a quick, "We'll see each other later, yeah?"
"Mhm," Ranboo hums, taking the time to bring the blonde's hand up to his mouth to press a kiss to it. "Good luck, stay safe."
Purple particles float around where Ranboo once was, fading out as the footsteps become louder. Tommy plasters a smile onto his face, letting his shoulders relax and turning his head to look over his shoulder.
"Badboyhalo, the fuck are you doing here?"
april 9th, 19xx: 我们缓缓起舞
"May I have this dance, dulcissime ?" Ranboo all but purrs as he takes Tommy's hand in his. The familiar gives a grin and nods, a laugh bubbling in his throat at the sheer ridiculousness of the sentence.
"You're so cheesy." Tommy mutters, though the tender look in his eyes betrays the sarcastic bite of his words. They flicker between apricot and celeste blue every few moments, unnoticeable to anyone who wasn't looking close enough. Eye contact is something Ranboo still struggles with, but he'd gladly suffer through the slight discomfort for his familiar— his Star.
"It's like we're getting bonded all over again," Ranboo whispers back, gently guiding Tommy along by the hand. Adoration begs to burst from his chest as the phoenix's cheeks glow a pretty red, so he lets out a soft vwroop to quell the sudden urge to yell to the whole world that this is his ; he gets to see a side of Tommy no one else does. The enderman-hybrid leans down and presses their foreheads together, saying, "Can't believe it's been 2 years. Look at us go.”
And— yeah, they’ve been together for much longer, but bonding is a lot like marriage… only it’s mostly for magical purposes and is considered more significant. A bond with a familiar adds life onto their witch; a bond with a phoenix almost always guarantees that a witch will only permanently die when the flame of the phoenix burns out. That can sometimes take thousands of years to happen.
"'S crazy, innit?" Tommy hums. Step. Twirl. Step . The duo fall silent for a bit, enjoying each other's company and the calm atmosphere. The quiet is only broken when a song, their song, comes on. Tommy blinks lazily up at Ranboo, slowing their steps until they're simply swaying.
"' Guess I'll always be so in love with you, say you love me too, sentimental me, '" The phoenix sings along to the song playing over the speakers, words dripping with such saccharine tenderness that it makes Ranboo's breath hitch. Tommy brings a hand up to cup Ranboo's cheek, and he trills gently when he notices the shine of tears threatening to fall from the witch's eyes. A wave of warmth overtakes their bond, comforting yet overwhelming in the best of ways. Ranboo trills back, albeit not as smoothly as Tommy. Chat, which up to this point had been oddly silent, coo, ranbird, ranbooLove, look at Tommy's smile pls, ranbooCry . Tommy laughs, fond, and continues to hum the tune of their song. His eyes close and he rests his head against the witch's shoulder, a content chirp spilling from his mouth.
And Ranboo— Ranboo aches. It's been two years, yet he still aches because he isn't used to this. The kind touches and looks are so much different from the scorn and ire most people grace him with. His skin is no longer bruised, or burned, or cut, and he's treated like something precious; it's almost too gentle, the way Tommy handles him.
Ranboo doesn't know how to stop aching just yet, but he figures he'll learn how to in due time.
3.
TommyInnit whispers to you: boo
TommyInnit whispers to you: cna i come over???
You whisper to TommyInnit: Yeah, be careful. Don’t know where Techno and Phil are
-
"It's so cold." Tommy whines. He isn't made for this type of weather, the bitter chill of the arctic winter so very different from the fire that rages under his skin. It burns the way that lava does to non-nether mobs and players, though it definitely isn't as lethal. His hands shake in Ranboo's hold as he's led through the hybrid's house and down into the much warmer basement.
"It'll be warmer down here," Ranboo assures him. "I can get you one of my hoodies if you'd like."
Tommy shakes his head, and a tired sigh falls from his chapped lips. It's a small thing, almost lost under ambient noise if it weren't for Ranboo's enhanced hearing. Ranboo's steps falter before stopping completely, and he turns to peer at Tommy. He looks exhausted, the smile on his face merely a ghost of his usual grin— melancholic and dull . He's gotten so thin in the time they've spent apart, and bruises litter what little skin Ranboo can see.
"Are you— what's wrong, Tommy?"
He watches as Tommy tries to compose himself before giving up, shoulders sagging as he allows his lips to pull into a frown.
“It’s just- I heard some people talking shit, guess it’s hitting pretty hard,” Tommy lets out a rueful laugh as he dabs futilely at the corners of his eyes. “I know what they said isn’t true, but it hurts, Ran. They think I’m some horrible monster, they think I’m the problem, and it hurts .
“I’ve fucked up, I’ll admit, but why the fuck am I the only one being blamed? I doubt any of them know what Dream’s attempting to do, but if they did… if they did, I wouldn’t be surprised if they said I deserve it. Because I’m Tommy; big man Tommy who’s nothing more than a stupid kid that needs to be put in his place.”
Ranboo’s hands are trembling now, and the last part makes his heart sink. He’s not given a chance to respond, to spout reassurances that they both know aren’t true, before the blonde’s gaze flickers to meet his own. Tommy’s emotions hit him through the bond and he’s left unable to speak.
“They said I’m a bad influence on you, that I’ve manipulated you into being my friend. 'S stupid, I know." The blonde sighs again. Ranboo shakes his head and purrs, shuffling so he can curl his arms around Tommy's shoulders and rub his cheek against his temple. You're fine , the gesture says, I love you . He pulls himself back slightly, saying:
“Tommy, I want to be with you—no matter what. We're witch and familiar, we're best friends, but we're also so much more than that. You are my North Star, Tommy; I don’t care what happens in this godforsaken server. I know you, and that’s enough. I know how much you dislike conflict, and I'm confident when I say I know you'd never purposely hurt me or manipulate me."
Ranboo’s voice is gentle, desperately earnest as he says this. His hand meets the soft skin of Tommy's cheek, and he leans down until the familiar's forehead is pressed against his own. Lapis eyes gilded with stars blink up at him with surprised adoration, and the corners of Tommy's mouth quirk up into a smile.
"Thanks," Tommy utters, quiet in a way that TommyInnit never is. But he's just Tommy, now, he doesn't have to worry about being the loud, brash kid everyone thinks he is. He's just Tommy, so instead of telling Ranboo to go fuck himself, he says, " Te amo, 'Boo ."
It's an unwavering confession, and, Prime, Ranboo can't help but let out a rumble from deep within his chest. A responding chirp comes from Tommy as he tips forward into Ranboo's chest, burying his face into the crook of the witch's neck and wrapping his arms around Ranboo's waist.
A shaky breath, then, "I love you too, Toms. In aeternum te amabo. "
Heavy knocks make the duo jump, effectively shattering the soft haze that they're suspended in. Ranboo's ears twitch and there's a furrow in his brow. He looks at Tommy, whose mouth is twisted into a frown as he looks up at the ceiling. "It's Technoblade." The blonde states, pulling away from Ranboo with a hushed groan.
"You know where the exit is, right?" Ranboo asks, relaxing when Tommy nods. He moves towards the ladder as another series of knocks start, glancing back to cast a smile at the blonde. "I'll see you later, Tommy."
The Enderian stumbles to the door, nearly falling into it before he rights himself. He cracks it open and is met with the sight of Technoblade standing there with a bored expression. Glasses are perched on the bridge of the older man's nose, making Ranboo blink in confusion. He didn't know Techno wore glasses… huh. Whatever, it'd be rude to mention it, probably, so Ranboo chooses to open the door a bit more and say, "What's up?"
A loud bang comes from downstairs, and Ranboo has to suppress a wince. Why is Tommy so clumsy? (Not like he can talk, he trips over air all the time.) Techno raises an eyebrow, peering up at Ranboo.
"Everything okay in there?"
"Mhm, probably just— just Enderchest knocking everything down. Y'know how it is." Yes, he totally saved that. Techno won't be suspicious even though the words are somewhat stilted because that's just how Ranboo speaks! Ah, the perk of being perpetually anxious and awkward. He lets out a nervous laugh, staring at Techno's forehead to avoid eye contact. He's a mess.
"Sure," Techno draws out in his usual monotone, amusement playing at its edges. "I just came over to see if you wanted to go scout out some woodland mansions with me, get some totems." He pauses then huffs a chuckle. "Unless you're busy dealing with your cats, of course."
"No, no! I- uh sure, I'll come with you. Let me just… grab some things. You can come in if you want." Ranboo turns and makes his way down the ladder. Techno follows him, and, well, Ranboo didn't actually think that he'd come in. That's fine, totally fine, because Tommy is already gone (hopefully). Before the piglin can make his way down the ladder, Ranboo sends frantic glances around the small basement. Enderchest is licking their paws while lounging on a chest, and Enderpearl is sprawled across the ground, asleep. Most importantly, there's no Tommy.
4.
It's been over 4 months since Tommy 'died'. Despite prior belief, he doesn't respawn. Not in his dirt hut, not in his little raccoon hole that only 3 people know about. He doesn't respawn, and Ranboo would've laughed at the looks on everyone's faces once they realize they killed Tommy ( Their only form of entertainment , a voice hisses somewhere in the back of his mind, They only care because they have no one else to blame for their mistakes . Ranboo can't help but agree, even if he knows they're remorseful. He's rightfully angry, sue him. ) for good if he didn't feel so empty. The bond doesn't sit as heavy in Ranboo's chest as it did for the first few days, though it still feels just as hollow.
The bitterness, though, the bitterness remains potent. It ferments in the pit of Ranboo's stomach, lying in wait for the right moment to make itself known to the other citizens.
They held a funeral a month after everything went down, even Technoblade and Philza were invited. ( Fucking pig bastard, he has no right to be invited to the funeral of the kid he killed, no goddamn right! Chat had bellowed as one when Ranboo heard Techno was invited.) Ranboo didn’t go, he’d already mourned the loss of Tommy. Plus, he’s sure he would’ve snapped at everyone there and outed himself as a magic user. So, he didn’t go and instead sat in his little cabin deep in a dark oak forest some 100,000 blocks away from the Capitol, designing new pentacles and talismans for when Tommy decides to come back.
His last ones were weakened by the time they had the confrontation with Dream, broken when Tommy was shot. The charms need to be stronger, more complex in such a way that they can't be deciphered without knowledge of magic. He works day and night for months on end, only emerging from his craft room to eat, take care of his animals, and make sure no one's decided to disturb him or his house. After Ranboo finds it in himself to drag himself from their cabin, he starts talking to Tubbo more. He gets to know the human that Tommy cared for, and finds that he isn't that bad. Sure, he may have sent Tommy into exile, but Ranboo knows he would've ended up there somehow.
(Dream is a persistent man; Ranboo doesn't doubt for a second that he'd stoop to kidnapping just to torture Tommy.)
Nothing major happens, honestly. The days turn into months, and Ranboo heals. He can't look at Techno without wanting to brutally stab the piglin, but he's healing. He stays in Snowchester more often than not nowadays; he helps with building and taking care of the animals while Tubbo is off doing… whatever Tubbo does. A stray zombified piglin no older than 3 becomes part of their little group after a trip to the nether, and Ranboo is maybe just a little bit in love ( Son, must protect, son, son, son- ). There aren't any wars, but Ranboo knows it's only a matter of time before Dream decides to stir the pot. The man always has a plan and the silence is really starting to bug Ranboo.
It's on a Wednesday that something finally happens. Ranboo just entered his cabin in search of some things to take with him to Snowchester. Little things that no one would suspect of being magic related.
He hums the familiar tune of Mellohi when he kicks open his bedroom door and he looks around the area before something catches his eye. A letter is placed on top of the hybrid’s bed. The witch pauses, a soft, "what?" escaping his mouth. He walks over, slowly, cautiously, and stares down at the letter. It's edges are singed. Open it! ranbooopenit, don't open it! chat hold hands, hold hands chat! Chat converses amongst itself, silencing when Ranboo moves. Ranboo takes a shaky breath before picking the paper up. It feels brittle, and still a bit warm.
He opens it gently, and reads.
'big r,
the lava has been hospitable, but the dawn of the awakening has come by the time you're reading this. the voices crave the destruction of all the fuckers who have hurt us, and so do i. the gods are on our side, but they can't stop the green bitch's plans just yet. also, i hear you have a son now, congrats big man! can't wait to meet him after all this shit's over with. prepare yourself and those who are innocent, and please be careful, ranboo. i'll be seeing you soon.
- your north
ps. the feathers are for you, tubs and your son.
pps. burn this note after reading'
Looking around, Ranboo spots 3 bright orange feathers that fade into a russet red at the tips lay scattered across the floor. He crouches down and gathers them into his palms, a smile growing on his face as he feels the cold bond pulse with warmth once again. After pocketing the brilliant plumes before anyone else can see, and throwing the note into the fireplace, Ranboo exits his house and starts to make the journey back to Snowchester.
(Somewhere, in the scorching heat of the nether, a boy drags himself from the clutches of bubbling magma with a feral cackle. The mobs who bear witness gasp and tremble— in fear or from the weight of raw magic blanketing the area, no one knows.
Many do not escape the rage of the reborn starling; those who make it out do so just barely, stumbling back to their homes with gasping breaths and instructions sitting heavy on their tongues. ' Stay away from the overworld, ' the entity had bellowed. ' If any of you see a tall motherfucker with black and white skin, I expect him to remain unharmed or you will be punished accordingly .' A pissed off familiar is one thing, but a pissed off familiar who just so happens to be a phoenix is another.
Prime help whoever dares hurt a phoenix's bonded.)
("Where did you get this?" Tubbo exclaims, eyes wide in fascination. He grips the feather between his scarred hands. Ranboo smiles, soft, and tells him not to worry about it— that he knows a guy who knows a guy, and it's better to be safe than sorry. He makes sure to braid a feather in both Tubbo and Michael's hair because he doesn't trust either of them to not lose them.)
december xth, xxxx: 我不是在做梦吧?
It doesn't remember when It came into being. It remembers the warmth of stars brushing against It, comforting hums, flares curling around Its form. The void is there, as are the stars, until they aren't.
It spawns into the world in a forest, sky covered by layers upon layers of branches and leaves. The wings which sprout from Its back twitch and release small bursts of fire, a comforting heat that rids the chill of the air from Its form. There’s no time to dwell on how exactly It appeared, as a piercing scream shakes the being to Its core.
Its wings flare out on pure instinct, and a whine bubbles in the back of Its throat. It moves before It can even think about doing so— a part of It says to turn away, but an even bigger part yells at It to save the creature that produced such a noise.
Twigs snap under the being’s feet as It runs further into the woods, further into the darkness. A few paces to the left has It standing in a clearing. A small creature is on the ground while bigger creatures seemingly taunt it. Just a quick glance over the body tells It that the thing has hardly started to develop. It makes Itself known with heavy footsteps, and It nearly laughs as the smug air around the things evaporates.
‘LEAVE ,’ It hisses, teeth bared into a snarl. The creatures in front of It cower, a language unknown to the entity being spilled from their open mouths. The creatures don't seem to understand Its spoken language either, but the language of the body is almost universally known; even by lesser beings. It makes Itself bigger, more imposing in the already small space between towering timber. Its wings cover the scared creature behind It fully before It growls. It's deep and guttural and a noise only monsters can make.
The things stumble away, back to wherever they came from. It would have killed them, if it weren't for the trembling animal It had decided to save.
Softening Its body language, the feathered being turns around and croons something akin to the humming of the stars. The stars' songs always helped It feel comfortable in the Void, thus the imitation must help calm the pup lying shivering on the forest floor, the being reasons. It lowers Itself down, down, down until It is resting in front of the creature, observing its appearance. Black and white hair hangs down to its shoulders, and heterochromatic eyes peer at It in a fearful awe. It can see purple particles floating around the animal's head, can barely hear noises that It has only heard in the Void. Magic permeates the air surrounding it, heavy and potent. It's no wonder It was drawn to the being.
"I will not hurt you," The entity states simply, though Its new form seems to stumble over the awkwardly placed consonants that make up the language of the Void. Now that Its mind is no longer clouded with the instinctual urge to protect, It notices how odd this new form is. No time to think about that, though, It has to take care of the hurt End-creature. ( CALL IT PUP, little hatchling!, baby starling!, the joyous crows of Its sky family echo inside Its head. Seems as if they've already taken a liking to it the Pup.)
"I'm Ranboo," A soft-spoken voice replies, unsteady. "You're a phoenix."
It's more of a statement than a question, but the being phoenix (?) just tilts Its head, chirping out an inquisitive sound. "I'm not sure what you mean, Ranboo. What is this… phoenix you speak of?"
The being learns that the fluffy appendages protruding from It's back are those of a phoenix; a legendary creature thought only to be a myth. The Pup tells It about how, supposedly, the feathers of a phoenix are sought after by many, even if the legend of the phoenix is just tha: a legend. At some point, the entity finds Itself floating behind Ranboo as they make their way through the trees. They walk in a comfortable silence for a minute until the cub perks up.
"Do you have a name? Pronouns?" The Pup asks. At It's confused noise, Ranboo continues. "Like, okay, my name is Ranboo, and my pronouns are he slash him. Pronouns are used so you don't have to call everyone by their name all the time, y'know? Instead of ' Ranboo went on a walk and Ranboo got lost, ' you can say, ' Ranboo went on a walk and he got lost .'"
"Oh… I don't think I can recreate what I was called in the Void, Ranboo. I'm not sure about pronouns either. What are the options?" The Pup just grins up at It. "The main ones are: he/him/his, she/her/hers, or they/them/their! Some people use it/its/it's or xe/xem/xyrs; but there are so many more! As for the name, I can give you one, if you'd like?"
It ( not It… he? she? xe? ) nods, mostly to see Ranboo smile. She's ( no, that's not right ) attached to this mortal already, something inside of xem ( oh? not bad ) purring in content at the thought of donning a name given to him ( also not bad ) by Ranboo. "I am quite fond of he slash him, though xe slash xem is also nice. I think that you can call me either, yes? He/him or Xe/Xem or both at the same time?"
Ranboo hums in agreement, coming to a stop in front of the entity. His eyes scan over xyr body, lingering on his face for a moment before finally saying, "I think you look like a Tommy. Not sure why, but you do."
Tommy. Its His name is Tommy.
"I love it," Xe murmurs, mouth contorting into a faint smile. Moving forward, he grabs Ranboo's hand and tugs the young Enderian along, pointedly ignoring the urge to intertwine their fingers together and the sudden heat on xyr cheeks. "Let's go, show me the way to your home."
"I— huh ?!"
"You can't just give an entity a name and not expect to be adopted, Ranboo! You're stuck with me, get used to it."
+ 1
The wind has been whispering warnings in the witch's ears ever since he burnt the note Tommy had sent. The Smile is scheming , it says, The Smile is going to attempt to kill the Phoenix's chosen . It’s a promise if Ranboo’s ever heard one, but he’s not scared. No, in fact he laughs at the thought of the green man laying a finger on him. The feather that sits hidden in the pocket of his jeans is reassurance that even if Dream, or anyone for that matter, tries to take all of his lives, he'll be saved.
Still, it's a tad bit disconcerting having a voice constantly telling you that there's a good chance you're gonna get targeted. Thankfully, his chat is able to distract him most of the time… though, sometimes they can be unhelpful. Such as now… when Ranboo is quite literally trapped in Dream's hold… y'know, about to get stabbed in front of the whole server.
HOLD HANDS CHAT!!!
haha lets gooooo
grene mman is hurting our beloved ??? ??
ranbooDesolate NotLikeThis ranbooCryLaugh
we're abt to get allium duo content y'all ranbooLove
ALLIUMTWT HOW R WE FEELING TONIHGT?
"You all mean nothing to me!" Dream bellows, a manic cackle escaping his lips. His fingers dig into the tender meat of Ranboo's upper arm as he goes to pull his axe from his back. The witch clenches his eyes shut and prays .
“Get your filthy hands off of him, you bastard.” The cold voice of a supposed dead boy growls. Ranboo's eyes snap open to see Tommy standing a few feet away from him decked in red robes. He isn't sure if it's just coincidence or if his prayers are actually answered, but his skin prickles with magic and relief and, Prime , he's never been so happy to see Tommy. The familiar's wings are flared out, their feathers glistening under the afternoon sun, and mottled fire dances across Tommy's shoulders and down his arms. A golden dagger accented with pointed amethyst crystals is held in one hand while the other hand rests on his hip; both of which are decorated in netherite chains connected to gemstone rings.
He looks— well he looks fucking badass. that's for sure.
The crowd is quiet, though Techno's iconic 'HEH?! ' and confused sputtering from Tubbo can be heard from somewhere. Ranboo can't see Dream's face, but he can feel how the older man's movements stutter to a stop and how his grip loosens enough for Ranboo to step away. Tommy glances at Ranboo for less than a second before flicking his gaze back to Dream, holding a hand out, head cocked slightly. Ranboo takes it without hesitation, and his instincts sing in satisfaction when their skin touches.
"We have suffered enough," Tommy declares, voice hoarse and words slurred just barely with a drawl native to those of the Void. His voice isn't booming, it doesn't echo off of buildings or rattle people's bones, but the effect is the same; everyone's attention is on him. "I'm done with your shit, Dream."
The admin's name falls from his lips in a sneer. He pushes Ranboo behind him and steps closer to the masked man, taking joy in the way Dream shuffles back subconsciously before righting himself.
"You- no, you're dead! You died, I killed you!" Dream shrieks, visibly fuming. Tommy gives an impish grin in return, eyes hooded as he watches Dream throw what can only be described as a tantrum. The familiar tilts his head once again and blinks lazily.
"Technically, you didn't kill me… you had big bad Technoblade do it for you because you're too much of a pussy to do it yourself," Tommy scoffs. (AYOOO GET FUCKED DREAM, LMAOOOOO, get his ass tommy!! Tommy's chat, The Boys, whoop and holler.) Dream, however, doesn't seem to find it as funny. The admin growls (Yes, literally… he isn't even a hybrid. What a weirdo.) and stalks up to Tommy, only stopping when they're inches apart. His head moves and Tommy knows he's looking at the pair of wings behind him.
"You never told me you had wings, Tommy." Dream chides, voice sickeningly soft just like it was in exile when he would tell Tommy that no one loved him, that he was Tommy's only friend. Before he would've let Dream think he's successful in his manipulation, but now? Now, Tommy faces Dream head on and laughs— ugly and loud and mocking in every way possible. Now, he looks right at Dream's stupid mask and tells him: "I'm not under your control anymore; I was never under your control. I know what you do to people with wings, Dream. I'm not letting you do it to me, or anyone else, after today."
The Boys give him a warning just as someone ( sam? SAM! awesamdad pog? ) steps up next to Tommy. He tenses, but doesn't move. He can easily take down anyone that tries to harm him or Ranboo, though he's more than certain that Sam isn't gonna try anything, so he's not worried. The creeper-human hybrid did offer to help him during exile and he did take care of Ranboo while Tommy rested. Sam is pretty poggers, Tommy decides as he shoots Sam a quick, thankful grin.
(Or, he tries. Turns out Sam's a whole 33 centimetres taller, so he has to look up a bit more. That's fine, Tommy's still a big man!)
"I have to agree with Tommy over here," Sam says, hand hovering above the sword at his side as he stares at Dream. He makes a gesture, and suddenly there's another person moving towards the admin— Punz. "Guess we can finally put that prison to good use."
'Prison? ' Tommy thinks, arching a brow. First of all: why the fuck is there a prison? He's been gone for, like, half a year at most, how was a prison built in such a short amount of time? Secondly, did Dream really think anyone but himself was going to get thrown in there? Now, Tommy isn't advocating for locking the admin in prison and throwing away the key— even the worst of the worst deserve a chance to turn a new leaf (or, in Tommy's own words, stop being wrong'uns )— but he is excited to see Dream behind bars for the foreseeable future!
Tommy watches Dream take a few steps back before turning and booking it. Sam and Punz follow shortly after, chugging bottles of speed and pulling out their swords. Damn, Tommy was ready to fight the green bitch, have a little bit of a duel if you will. Too bad Dream's a little pissbaby that refuses to fight the great TommyInnit.
A throat clearing shakes the familiar from his thoughts, and he slowly turns his head to look over his shoulder. Tubbo stands there with his arms crossed, Techno blinks with poorly hidden bewilderment, and everyone else is just… gaping. It's kinda funny, in Tommy's opinion. Ranboo's obviously uncomfortable with all the attention, though, so Tommy decides to break the admittedly awkward group staring contest.
"So…" Tommy trails off, smiling sheepishly at the Essempi members. "You didn't think a big man like myself would really die, right? I'm too pog to submit to something as dumb as death!"
Needless to say, Tommy and Ranboo are in for a long, long conversation.