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The airport was big. Daunting. People were surrounding him, rushing off to their families, their significant others, running around to get Uber's and taxis, and in the hustle and bustle of it all, Ranboo stood. He must have been a spectacle to look at-- a nearly 7-foot tall guy with a giant backpack and rolling bag, clad in sunglasses and an odd mask, baggy clothes practically sagging off of his back. It was sometime in the afternoon, and he felt like he was about to pass out-- fucking jetlag. He couldn't wait to just find Tubbo, hop in a car, and sleep on the way to their extension.
He let his eyes rake the crowd, before glancing down at his phone to check his messages- no new ones, and, well, no Tubbo. Not yet, at least. That was, until--
"HEY!" Someone yelled, then his real name was screamed, and Ranboo let his nack snap to the general direction of the noise, and.. it wasn't just Tubbo, as he had suspected it would be. Instead, Tommy-freaking-INNIT, with Jack Manifold, and in between the both of them, was Tubbo.
A smile broke across his face. "Hey," He waved, knowing they couldn't hear them, not until he got close enough.
He took a step. Then another step, and another, and another, and another-- and all of a sudden the scenery of the airport was disregarded, blurring into a rushed swirl of colors as Ranboo sprinted with his awkward, lanky limbs.
He doesn't know who reaches who first- but he does see Tubbo's blinding smile right before the shorter barrels into Ranboo's outstretched arms. And Ranboo feels complete.
"I missed you," Ranboo mumbled, and Tubbo let out a loud laugh. It sounded like music to Ranboo's ears.
"You're here," Tubbo breathed, clutching onto the warm fabric of Ranboo's hoodie. "Finally."
"Finally," Ranboo repeated lightheartedly, "And so are Tommy and Jack...?"
"They wanted to see you. Vlog it." Tubbo shrugged, pulling himself from Ranboo's hug, "That's alright with you? We were thinking about getting some food on the way to Tommy's house, and then we spend the first night there... If it's okay for you? If not Tommy's then we can do it tomorrow."
And God, Ranboo wants to go to the extension, but Tubbo looks excited, and Tommy and Jack are approaching with twin broad grins, and Ranboo can't say no... (even if he had imagined slumping down on the couch, taking a nap with Tubbo into the night. Who was he to oppose, really?)
"No, it's fine with me, I got sleep on the plane!" Ranboo said instead, "And I am hungry. Is British McDonalds any different than American McDonalds?"
Tubbo snorted loudly, nudging Ranboo's arm good-naturedly. "Fuck off, come on."
Tubbo ran ahead, and Ranboo lagged behind.
The UK wasn't as magical as Ranboo expected it to be. Times in which he'd imagined he'd be walking down the piers with Tubbo, or even dancing in the kitchen were replaced with the both of them sitting in front of their PCs, working on stream-related things, and in Tubbo's case, TubNet. And he knew that with a single word, Tubbo would stop, and they would actually do something together without filming it, or streaming it, or taking photos, but Tubbo just seemed so happy to show these things to the fans, and honestly, Ranboo's fanbase was eating the photos up, so it really benefited him too, but it left a sour taste in his mouth.
Realistically, this was a good thing! He was a streamer, technically a YouTuber, a public figure for a generation of kids, and this was good publicity for him! Constant content being churned out every other hour. Tubbo was pleased, and Ranboo's statistics were pleased, too.
But he wanted more. He felt guilty for wanting more. This was the dream! In a house with your best friend-slash-crush, acting all flirty and eventually going to bed after hours and hours of laughter. But it was all played up for a camera. And the moment the cameras were off, Tubbo was back to a more reserved version of himself, closed off and busy. Such was the life of someone who was being scrutinized 24/7...
In theory, being with Tubbo was supposed to be a happy thing. More time with him, more memories made, more feelings growing... and maybe...
It was wishful thinking. It seemed so easy, too. But Ranboo was left biting his tongue in frustration- this was real life, no mute button, no leave call.
He lamented on the fact that he was always braver behind a screen than he was face-to-face.
Despite his initial dissatisfaction, though, Ranboo could readily admit that there were a few good moments splattered in between streams and the work that came with streaming. Moments in the extension where Tubbo would stand across from him on by the counter, and Ranboo would peel the both of them oranges, and they would laugh while bringing up ludicrous stream ideas that got more and more extravagant as they were ping-ponged between the two. But they were just that- moments. They'd last for a mere minute or so, and then it'd be back to reality in a flash, both of them slouched over the screens of their computers, maybe laughing as they rang Tommy, who'd be streaming.
The nights were a lot calmer, Ranboo supposed. Every once in a while, they managed to kick up their legs and lie on Tubbo's bed, watching whatever new thing they decided on Tubbo's laptop. Sometimes it was The Office, sometimes it was Stranger Things, sometimes it was IT, and Ranboo preferred those nights. Tubbo would doze off first, and Ranboo would stay up for an hour or so longer, wondering what it would be like if he decided to fuck it all and sleep next to Tubbo.
He wanted to be the one Tubbo woke up to, the guy Tubbo would croak out a fond and sleepy 'good morning' to, with a kiss if he was lucky. He wanted to be the one Tubbo thought of last before sleeping, the one Tubbo thought of first when waking up. He wanted to be Tubbo's favorite boy, but he knew that none of his wants were likely to come true.
Tonight was one of those nights. Tubbo was snoring right next to him, the laptop in his arms having been shut off long ago. Rnboo let the moonlight up the room dimly, and it encompassed Tubbo's face in a soft glow. The bed was warm, comfortable, and the fuzzy blanket Tubbo snuggled to sleep was draped over Ranboo's legs. He could fall asleep right then and there and wake up entangled in Tubbo's embrace. It'd be so easy to, and it wouldn't come off as suspicious, Ranboo knew. It'd be easy to wake up, and laugh it off, going "Oh, I guess I fell asleep watching, sorry!"
He didn't. The next morning, he woke up on his own designated bed, feeling cold and lonely. He could hear Tubbo's loud voice a little ways away- he was probably doing an alt stream.
"Twitch chat, Ranboo and I, we watched something on Disney+ yesterday!" Tubbo exclaimed, "He's still snoozin' right now, but it was a good watch, actually,"
Ranboo wondered if Tubbo ever had the same worries. He wondered if Tubbo would stay up thinking about him, or wonder if his feelings were requited. He doubted it.