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It hadn’t been so long since Ranboo had woken up in an elevator that opened up to wide open skies and curious faces. Since then, he’d learned a lot about the Maze that they were in the middle of. They sent out people to look for an exit, and everyone else had their own jobs to do. Everyone worked together, and Ranboo could’ve had a worse time.
Maybe a week, but time seemed to blur in the Glade. He hadn’t been given a solidified job yet, since they hadn’t found one that fit, so he’d be in the gardens.
He liked the gardens. Or maybe he just liked hanging out with Tubbo- who was the second in command of the Glade and had the biggest part in getting Ranboo acclimated since the first in command, Phil, was busy most of the time. Ranboo had decided early on that Tubbo was nice, which was good, since he was usually in the garden for a while and that was where Tubbo spent most of his days.
They were friends, Ranboo liked to think. Of course, ‘friends’ was a loose term in a world where names were crossed off of the wall more often than they probably should have been. The wall had everyone’s names on it, he’d carved his in just a couple days ago, and the ones crossed off were the ones he’d never meet. Neither of them were runners, though, so it would be fine. It was Purpled they had to worry about, who ran into the maze and witnessed horrors that kept the younger kids up at night with just stories and retellings of what lay beyond the walls that closed at night. Only then was it a comfort that they were trapped in, and everything else was kept out.
“Hey, Tubbo!” Ranboo said as he reached the gardens. Tubbo, by the looks of it, had already been there for a while- there was sweat on his forehead and his shirt was dirty from brushing his hands off on it. Why anyone would choose to wear a white shirt in that environment was beyond Ranboo, but he didn’t mind when it came to Tubbo.
“Hey,” Tubbo smiled a little, gesturing to the bed across from him. “Gonna get started on weeding? Lots to do.”
“Not even a ‘good morning’?” Ranboo teased. “You’re such a mean boss.”
It was quiet after that, not by a lack of quips on either part, but because Tubbo was quiet, almost scared to get closer, and Ranboo could respect that. They fell into a comfortable silence, filled only by the sound of weeds getting ripped out of the ground and being tossed in a bucket to be emptied later.
“So,” Ranboo started, trying to keep an air of casualty, “You guys ever sunbathe or something to pass time?”
Tubbo gave him a strange look. “No, why would we?”
“I don’t know. To enjoy the sun? Take a break from constant working?”
“I haven’t before.” Tubbo said. “Doesn’t mean we won't, just means no one’s thought about it before. Or at least, no one’s openly suggested it. ‘Cept you.”
Ranboo ducked his head, smiling. “Maybe after lunch, then.”
“Maybe.” Tubbo mumbled, and Ranboo could tell that he was smiling, too.
They spent their lunch with Purpled and Tommy, one of which left halfway through to go over some Runner plans and the other who was preoccupied with his sewing. It was everything but a quiet lunch, though, what with everyone else deciding to have their conversations at a volume Ranboo considered to be just a little too loud. He was glad that he’d found friends, though, since a glade of however-many-boys had been intimidating at the start.
Now, he knew they were just all idiots. Except maybe Tubbo. And Michael- Michael was sweet.
(and far, far too young to know this as a normal life. They all were, really, and that was the hopelessness of it.)
“Well, big man,” Tubbo started with a sigh, getting up. “The plants are calling. You ready to go?”
“Oh, sure, just give me a second.” Ranboo rushed to clean up, not wanting to keep Tubbo waiting.
The walk back to the gardens was again, quiet but not off-putting. It was nice after the hectic lunch.
“Y’know,” Tubbo started, and Ranboo could tell he was deep in his mind, “It’s nice working the easier jobs in the gardens for once. I think it might be ‘cause of you, that they put me into the simpler role, but I’m not complaining. I’m less exhausted at the end of the day.”
Ranboo nodded. “Maybe. I’m just glad I’m with you while they decide what to do with me- people seem to complain about working under Technoblade a lot.”
“Would you want to spend your waking hours hauling wood and building? Especially with Techno barking at you all day about what you’re doing wrong?” Tubbo snorted, “We’re lucky anyone volunteers to build anymore.”
They got to the edge of the garden before Tubbo stopped and hummed. “We did a pretty good job this morning, I could justify taking a short break to sunbathe or whatever you wanted to do.”
Ranboo grinned. “Great, and it's pretty sunny here, anyway. All we have to do is lay down.”
The grass was a little itchy, a little off, but it was nice. They got to spend time in each other's company, and they were relatively isolated by the gardens, so they went uninterrupted. It was warm in the sun, and the warmth made them sleepy.
Tommy came across them, though, and grumbled half-heartedly about what slackers they were, but he went and got the most recent stitching that he had been doing and leaned against a tree nearby.
“Y’know, greenie,” Tubbo said. “This wasn’t a half bad idea. We might have to move the fertilization of the garden until tomorrow, I don’t really wanna move.” He yawned, and fell silent.
Ranboo smiled, content, but he couldn’t help the deep feeling that they wouldn’t find another time to relax like this in a long, long time. For now, though, he could ignore it, because he was spending time with his friends, and all that mattered was finding a way to be happy when in reality, they were prisoners in a so far inescapable maze.