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Ranboo murmured along with the pages in his book, stroking Enderpearl as she rubbed at his hand, obviously craving attention.
It really was a lovely feeling, relaxing after a long day of chores and training and more chores.
The fireplace was crackling, tea steeping, and most importantly a feeling warmer than any other coursed through Ranboo at the notion of seeing his husband and son the next morning. He’d already worked things out with Phil for him to take care of his animals and farm for the next few days (paying him handsomely, though Phil had adamantly rejected it (he slipped the gold into the older man’s kitchen cabinets while he wasn’t looking)) so he could spend time with his family undeterred.
Ranboo was excited too, having planned a getaway that neither Tubbo nor Michael was aware of. They would tour the more obscure parts of the server, just spending time together. He pictured Michael toddling through the grass, pointing at every unknown object and squealing in elation, his little eye full of light. He smiled, feeling giddy just imagining being with them. The morning couldn’t come fast enough.
“You are so obnoxious,” Ranboo snickered at his cat as she batted his book away. “You and Tubbo are going to be best friends when you meet.” he scratched her under the chin as he spoke. She purred, nuzzling into the touch.
Enderpearl and Tubbo really were akin to each other. Forcing Ranboo to give them attention by any means, knowing he’d gladly give in. Ranboo snorted at the thought of Tubbo’s would-be reaction to the comparison. He’d probably make Ranboo sleep on the couch. Or on the roof. That boy was the most chaotic and unpredictable individual, but Ranboo loved him regardless.
Him and their zombie-piglin son.
He’d burn the world for them.
As if on cue, his communicator started buzzing violently, disturbing the quiet. Not really a specific “cue”, actually, as Ranboo was always thinking about them.
Call from: Tubbo_
Ranboo grinned as he read the screen, tapping accept and bringing the device to his ear, expecting the normal good night call.
“Hey, Bug.” he hummed, standing to check his tea.
“R-Ranboo?”
“Yeah.” Ranboo frowned a little as he stirred. Weird greeting.
“Ranboo, come home. N-Now. Please.”
His tail lashed nervously. Something was wrong. Tubbo’s voice was shaking, and he barely spoke above a whisper. As Ranboo paused his tea-pouring, he heard small snuffles.
Michael.
“What’s up? Is everything okay?”
“Ranboo, h-he just broke through the doors. I… I don’t know why he’s here, but he’s crashing around downstairs right now. Fuck, please hurry.”
“Wait, wha- who?”
“Technoblade.”
Ranboo’s mug shattered as it hit the floor. His knees felt weak as he crumpled into his chair. Technoblade. His neighbor. His friend. His mentor. But also, the biggest danger to his family. His head spun with the premonition of what Techno was doing there. What he would do there.
“W-what?” he choked.
“D-damn it, hurry, I think he’s below us now.”
Little squeaks crackled through the speaker. Tubbo gently shushed Michael, attempting to soothe him.
“Boo?”
Ranboo shook his head, tugging his boots on as desperation and panic filled his lungs, making it difficult for him to see. He tried to speak, but nothing came out.
“B-Boo?” Tubbo’s voice was thick with fear.
“I’m coming.” he threw his door open, not bothering to grab his cloak as he ran. “I’m coming, Tubs, hold on.”
As Ranboo jumped through the nether portal, he heard his husband softly curse.
“Ran, h-he’s up here now.” Tubbo was on the verge of breaking down. “Please, gods, hurry, I don’t want him to hurt Michael- fuck, fuck-”
“Bo,” Ranboo interrupted, trying to keep the tremble from his own voice in an effort to calm him. “Bo, take some deep breaths. Do you have any weapons?”
“N-no. We’re in the bedroom right now. I only thought enough to grab Michael. Please, Boo, I don’t want him to hurt him- p-please-”
“I’m coming,” Ranboo promised, tearing through the hellscape to reach the Snowchester portal.
Tubbo’s breath hitched.
“What?” Ranboo felt his heart rate go through the roof. “What? What?”
“Boo, he’s in the hallway- shh, baby, it’s okay, it’s okay.”
A sliver of ice threaded into the enderman’s chest at the sentence. He heard Michael softly crying. He raced even faster, tears pricking at his eyes.
“Tubbo, keep talking to me!” he begged as his feet thumped on the ground.
“I think he’s in Michael’s room now, I c-can’t really tell though- hey, bud, it’ll be fine, papa’s on his way. Ranboo, fuck, he’s almost here. Gods, hurry-” Tubbo’s whisper grew higher in pitch as his panic did.
“I’m almost there,” Ranboo stumbled out of the other side of the portal, charging through the snowy forest. “Hold on!”
“R-Ranboo-!” he was cut off by a loud cracking noise.
Ranboo heard Michael squeal in terror and Tubbo scream. The most horrifying sounds he’d ever heard. Ones he’d hoped would never plague his ears.
Then it was silent. Terrifyingly silent.
As he pulled his communicator from his ear, the screen said the call had been disconnected.
Ranboo flew through the snow, pleading to whatever gods were listening to spare his family. Tears burned their way down his cheeks.
Please.
Please.
Please.
Ranboo repeated the mantra in his head. He couldn’t picture a world without Michael and Tubbo. Never seeing their smiles, never hearing their laughs. No more lazy mornings, no more running through fields chasing bees, no more silly food fights. No more scooping little Michael up, listening to his babbles while playing whatever game he’d made up with him. No more bedtime stories, tucking in, kissing goodnight on the forehead. No more slow-dancing with Tubbo at three am, no letting him chat Ranboo’s ears off about random topics and Tubbo’s weird and morbid dreams over call during his lonely mining trips. Their bed, cold and empty, devoid of what made Ranboo’s world bearable, what he lived for.
Please!
He finally reached the tunnel, tridenting through in a swift motion. He bolted through the small town, face raw and stinging from the cold wind. The bitter freeze that ripped into his thin shirt was nothing compared to his icy dread. He stumbled and tripped over stones and hidden obstacles but he didn’t stop. Ranboo would never stop fighting for his family.
He spotted the looming mansion, pace impossibly quickening.
As Ranboo reached the stairs, he felt a pull on his shoulder. He immediately writhed in protest, unaware of who it was. Even if it was Techno, he didn’t care. He had to get to his family.
“Mate, hold on,” the grip tightened.
Ranboo could have easily shrugged it off, but the voice made him freeze.
“Phil?”
He turned, meeting pale blue eyes.
“Hold on,” Philza repeated. “It’s not what you think, you can’t interrupt.”
“Wh-what are you talking about?” Ranboo yanked out of his grasp. “Help me! Please! Don’t you care about Michael? Please!”
Phil’s lips tightened, damaged wings ruffling anxiously. “Ranboo, stay.”
Ranboo opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by a loud cry.
Tubbo.
His heart raced as he dashed into the mansion, ignoring Phil’s objections, up the main staircase, down the numerous torchlit hallways, finally reaching the broken doors that led to his and Tubbo’s bedroom.
Ranboo barreled through the wreckage. The scene he was met with made him ill. Tubbo was standing defensively in front of Michael, who was curled in the corner, clutching his chicken plushie as he wailed. He looked so small. So scared. That made Ranboo ache.
Multiple stabs and slashes littered Tubbo’s body. Blood poured from the wounds. The ram-hybrid was breathing haggardly, trembling as he fought to stay upright to protect their child.
Technoblade stood nonchalantly a few steps away, shaking the crimson liquid from his glowing netherite blade. Tubbo’s mangled communicator sat by his boots.
“T-Techno, stop!” Ranboo yelled hoarsely.
All parties turned towards him. Technoblade staring in shock, Tubbo with a mix of relief and fear.
“Why… why are you...?” Techno muttered. “Phil was supposed to…”
Ranboo didn’t reply, instead looking at Tubbo and Michael, drinking in the fact that they were alive. Terror, relief, and love warred in him as he met Tubbo’s gaze.
He shouldn’t have looked away.
Techno moved in the blink of an eye. A blink of an eye was all it took.
All it took for a sword to pierce Tubbo’s side.
All it took for Ranboo’s husband to fall.
Techno pulled his weapon out, regarding Ranboo with a strange expression.
Tubbo made a single, breathless noise, haphazardly stumbling before dropping to the hardwood.
The enderman’s vision fuzzed grey. The world turned sideways as he collapsed to his knees.
No.
No.
No.
No!
Through the haze, he saw the piglin reach towards Tubbo.
And Ranboo snapped.
He lunged, ripping Techno away, disarming him with a harsh twist to the wrist and smashing him into the floor.
A move the piglin himself had taught him.
“Why?” he screamed as he held him down, fresh tears hissing down his face. “Why? Why? Why? ”
“Ranboo-”
He slammed Techno’s skull into the wood again, shouting incoherently.
Technoblade gritted his teeth. He flipped, maneuvering the boy under his hold instead.
“Ranboo, listen to me!” he yelled over Ranboo’s struggling, his usually deadpanned voice mixing with rare emotion. “Ranboo, we don’t have much time. Either I or you need to give him this!”
He pulled his protege up enough for Ranboo to see the glinting object in his free hand.
An expertly crafted totem.
Techno pressed it into his palm. “Make sure he’s holdin’ it when he… y’know. If this doesn’t work… I’m sorry. Truly.”
And his teacher was gone.
Ranboo stared at the totem.
Why did he…?
He was brought back to reality by Tubbo’s strangled gasps.
Ranboo immediately gathered his bloodied body into his arms.
“T-Tubbo, gods, Tubbo-” this sight was too much for him. The light of his life was pale, scarlet streaming down his bruised face, trickling from his open mouth, more blooming at the most lethal of his wounds. His eyes were wide with fear, tears spilling from both. His entire body was shaking as he wheezed.
Ranboo closed Tubbo’s fingers around the cold metal with his own. He pushed the hair from his face with his free hand, kissing his clammy temple.
“M-Michael?” Tubbo choked out.
Ranboo turned. The boy wasn’t hiding anymore, instead staring at his parents, tears rolling down his cheek.
“He’s alright, Bo.” the enderman gently reached for their son. “C’mere, bud.”
Michael shuffled forwards, dropping down at Tubbo’s side. He gingerly touched his dada’s forehead, squeaking with a mixture of confusion and worry.
“I- ‘m okay, baby,” Tubbo managed, weakly squeezing his hoof. “Dada’s okay.”
He focused blearily on Ranboo’s face.
“B-Boo,” he breathed. “Boo, I don’t want to die- I can’t leave you two, o-or Tommy, please-”
“Shh,” Ranboo sobbed. “Shh, it’s alright. I got you. You’ll be fine.”
He didn’t know who he was trying to reassure. He brushed Tubbo’s cheekbone with his thumb. “I’m here. Both of us are. Just relax, Bee, it’ll be okay.”
“O-okay, augh, fuck, it hurts- it hurts so much-” he heaved. “Ranboo, I can’t leave you two. Fuck what if I see him ? Shit, it hurts-”
Ranboo’s heart was being slowly shredded. He couldn’t stand the image of Tubbo crying. Of his shirt turning redder and redder, of the life draining from his eyes. But he would never abandon his husband.
The process wasn’t quick nor pretty.
Each second of crying, bleeding, and struggling for air felt like an hour.
Ranboo and Michael stayed with Tubbo for what seemed like an eternity, the ziglin grasping his fingers, Ranboo rubbing soothing circles into his aching skull, whispering encouragements.
Tubbo continued to gasp, body seizing as it entered crisis mode. His sobs turned to hiccups, then to silence.
He rapidly cooled, eyes dimming, chest stilling.
Ranboo waited expectantly for the totem to do its work. Holding Tubbo’s hand around it with his own, he stroked the sticky chocolate-brown locks with his other. Michael glanced up at him, tapping Tubbo’s chest a little as if to rouse him.
Ranboo drummed his knuckles on the floor nervously, waiting for his husband to sit up.
There was a suffocating quiet. Nothing moved. No animals dared to make a sound. Even the trees outside stopped rustling.
Tubbo didn’t stir.
“Bo?” Ranboo’s voice quivered.
Nothing.
“Tubs? C’mon, this isn’t funny.”
His eyes remained empty.
“Tubbo,” Ranboo felt horror rise in his chest. “Tubbo, wake up.”
The stifling hush persisted.
Ranboo’s entire world crashed down.
“No,” he whimpered. “No. Please.”
And his mind went blank. He curled in on himself. An awful, broken, static-filled screech filled the room. Ranboo didn’t realize it was him, anguish wracking his body. He shrieked over and over again, indescribable agony rushing through him. He hardly registered his child, desperately hugging him, not understanding why his dada stopped moving and why his papa screamed.
Ranboo cried to the ceiling, pleading with the gods to take him instead. To bring back his husband, Tommy’s best friend, Michael’s father . He offered anything. Anything at all for Tubbo to smile again. To be able to hear his voice. His stupid flirting, his singing, the way he’d say good morning.
Ranboo felt as if he were evaporating from the tears that burned his cheeks. Despair made him weak, unable to move. He collapsed next to Tubbo.
“Please,” he wept. “Please. Please.”
Michael cried as well, crawling onto Tubbo, tugging his shirt and squealing as if Tubbo were simply asleep. He couldn’t comprehend what happened.
Ranboo rolled over, pulling his family to his chest, crying into his dead husband’s hair.
He kissed him between the horns, apologizing for being too late, being absent.
“It’s a-all my fault,” he kissed him again. “I’m so sorry, sweet bee, I’m so s-sorry.”
Ranboo cupped his pale cheek, sobbing at his bloodied and bruised face. Under all that, Tubbo looked peaceful. Asleep. What he deserved after all these years of fighting.
The enderman rolled onto his back, shifting his smaller family members on top of him. His mind was numb. He wanted to stay there until he rotted. Stay with the ones he loved.
His eyesight blurred with more tears. But they wouldn’t fall. Ranboo felt as though he wouldn’t ever be able to cry again.
As they lay, in the almost calming stillness, Ranboo didn’t want to move. At all. He wanted to remain right there, with his family. Until he was nothing but dust.
He didn’t want to live without Tubbo.
He couldn’t.
The bittersweet aura was pierced by a loud noise. Green and golden light swirled around the three.
Ranboo heard a small whisper, a sound so unexpected he thought he’d imagined it.
“B-Boo?”
He lifted his gaze.
Tubbo’s half-lidded eyes blinked. His strong fingers gripped Ranboo’s shirt.
And Ranboo’s eyes blew wide.
“Bo?”
Tubbo gave a weak nod.
“O-oh Ender, Tubbo!” he shot up, squeezing Tubbo and Michael as tight as he dared.
“Heyyyy, sexy,” the ram hybrid drawled.
Michael squealed happily, throwing his little arms around Tubbo’s neck.
“Hi, sweetheart,” Tubbo shakily rubbed circles on his back.
“Tubbo,” Ranboo repeated. “Gods, Tubbo- I thought you were-”
“Me too,” Tubbo giggled a bit as Ranboo peppered kisses on his and Michael’s faces. “Guess not though.”
Ranboo reveled in the sound of his laugh. One he thought he’d never hear again.
He furiously carded a hand through Tubbo’s hair, whispering sweet nothings, drunk on the sheer relief and gratefulness for him to be alive.
“Doesn’t even hurt,” Tubbo murmured, leaning into the touch. “At least I think it doesn’t. I’m feelin’ all weak and shit.”
Ranboo gently pushed his bloody and ripped shirt up, finding no injuries. He sobbed again, pulling Michael and Tubbo even closer, laying his hand on Tubbo’s waist where the wound had been. He rolled the pad of his thumb over it, silently saying a million different things to his husband. Tubbo smiled softly, linking his fingers with Ranboo’s free hand’s. Michael snorted contentedly between his fathers, burying into the enderman’s chest. They stayed like that for a while, until Tubbo slurred: “Mmn, Boo, I think ’m gonna…” and he fell limp.
Ranboo felt anxiety stab into his heart until he frantically checked his pulse, realizing his husband was simply asleep. This time, just that.
Ranboo carefully untangled himself from them, hurriedly rushing to the bathroom, returning with gloves, a bucket of warm water, and a soft towel.
He propped Tubbo up, delicately scrubbing his blood-covered skin.
After he was satisfied, he grabbed new clothes for his husband, including one of Ranboo’s hoodies, as he knew how much he loved them. He changed him, tossing the ruined garments in the trash. He lifted Tubbo into their large bed, then Michael, who happily flopped across him.
Ranboo chuckled at the odd position, re-dressing Michael before letting him sleep too, tucking the boy’s discarded chicken plushie in his arms.
He kissed both of them on the head.
He wanted nothing more than to get in with them, to hold them and assure himself that they were okay, but he needed to survey the damage, and drink something for his battered throat, or else Tubbo would get mad at him.
He kissed the two once more before walking out.
Their master doors were completely splintered, the front ones as well, but besides that there thankfully wasn’t much. As he descended the grand staircase, he froze.
Why were they still there?
Techno and Phil stood in the doorway, talking in hushed tones.
Ranboo decided to ignore them. He didn’t know if he hated the pair or if he wanted to thank them. Or maybe kill Techno for putting Tubbo through so much pain and traumatizing their baby. But he did know he wanted to soothe his painful throat and fall asleep with his loved ones.
He turned to the kitchen, not responding when Technoblade called his name.
As Ranboo mixed chorus fruit into juice, he risked a look over.
Technoblade’s features had morphed into more piglin anatomy, which only happened if he was stressed, or worse bloodlusting . Ranboo silently dared him to try while he was there.
As he watched, Phil cupped his friend’s cheek, slowly but surely causing Techno to shrink back to his human form. Ranboo always marveled at Phil’s ability to do that.
The avian turned, making Ranboo jump and hurriedly busy himself with crushing the fruit. He heard shuffling footsteps and glanced behind him to be met with the shorter, kindly man.
“Heya, mate.”
Ranboo grunted.
As he poured the finished juice into a glass, Phil grabbed his wrist, leading the younger to the table and sitting him down before rifling through the cabinets. In search of what, Ranboo didn’t know. He absentmindedly noticed Techno was gone.
Techno was gone.
The enderman shot up, only to be pushed back down.
“It’s okay, mate, he’s outside.”
Ranboo hesitantly let himself relax, noting the rag and familiar potion in Phil’s hand.
The blonde trickled some of the health pot onto the washcloth before gently dabbing at the deep wounds on Ranboo’s face.
It stung a bit but then felt otherworldly good on his poor cheeks.
Phil rubbed circles onto his knuckles with his free hand. “Can I explain?”
“Please,” Ranboo murmured, melting into the soothing touches. Phil smiled as the boy began purring.
“He didn’t want to, mate, you’ve got to understand that-”
“Then why?” Ranboo tensed.
“Dream. He owed him a favor.”
Ranboo balked as Phil continued.
“And that favor turned out, for some reason, to be killing Tubbo. But, that’s why he brought the totem. He was never told to make sure he stayed dead. He didn’t want to at all, Ranboo. Both because he cares for you and his guilt from… the last time. So he brought the security blanket.
Sure, he was a little betrayed when he found out you were hiding your marriage and child. Mostly because he felt hurt that you didn’t trust him. But, he never intended for Tubbo to permanently die.”
“A-are you… really?”
“Yes.”
“So…”
“So don’t worry about him randomly attacking either of them. That favor was a one-and-done deal.”
A relieved sigh left his mouth.
Phil snorted, ruffling the boy’s dual-colored hair. “How is Tubbo? And Michael?”
“Th-they’re okay… Tubs is a little weak, though.”
“Unsurprising,” Phil hummed. “I’d give him a few days, maybe a week, ‘til he’s back to full strength.”
The enderman nodded non-committedly, a million thoughts crowding his tired mind at the same time.
Ranboo felt confusion, relief, and a little guilt fill his body. Heavy waves of exhaustion rolled over him as the adrenaline faded. The day had been unbelievably emotionally taxing, not to mention it was about three am.
Phil chuckled at the yawn that left him. He scratched his scalp, snickering as the purrs intensified.
“Go on to bed, mate.”
Ranboo nodded groggily, downing the rest of the juice and staggering to the steps, waving bye to Phil as he left, placing torches so mobs wouldn’t come into the mansion’s busted entrance.
He stepped over the debris into their bedroom, sleepily dressing in clean clothes before climbing into the bed, smiling at his husband holding their child like a teddy bear, both drooling. He wrapped his considerably longer limbs around them, drawing Michael and Tubbo flush to his chest. He felt small purrs rumble in his tired body.
Ranboo would worry about the repairs and talking to Techno in the morning. For right now, he was content to let the breaths of his loved ones lull him to sleep. After all, he did still have special plans for tomorrow.
~*~
Ranboo rose with the sun.
Blinking his heterochromatic eyes open to the pale golden rays, he turned, observing his family, positively illuminated in the light.
They were so beautiful.
Ranboo’s long fingers ghosted over Michael’s small back and Tubbo’s cheek, wanting so desperately to wake them and hear his son’s little snorts and husband’s lazy “morning”, sounds he always treasured, but even more so after the harrowing ordeal that was the previous night.
But, he decided to let the two rest, carefully shimmying out of the bed and quietly dressing, ready to make the preparations for their surprise trip and repairs to the doors.
Ranboo stepped over the wood piles, feeling a heaviness to his eyes, but a skip in his step, so grateful to have another day with his loved ones.
As the sun grew higher in the sky, Ranboo had packed food, clothes, and had fixed the main entrance, leaving only one task: redoing the bedroom doors.
Right as he began attaching the second, he heard a sleepy murmur.
A noise that made his heart soar.
“...Morning…”
Ranboo turned to see Tubbo slowly rousing, patting Ranboo’s empty side of the bed, half opening his tired eyes in confusion.
“Over here, Bo.” he couldn’t help the dopey smile on his face.
“Why’re you up so fuckin’ early?” Tubbo groaned, rolling onto his back, positioning their sleeping baby on his stomach, rubbing up and down his tiny spine.
Ranboo finished the doors, testing them a couple of times before answering.
“Just ‘cause.”
Tubbo hummed in response as the enderman walked over. He turned again, this time rolling right over the edge of the bed.
Ranboo dove forward, just barely managing to catch them before they hit the hardwood. He released the breath he was unaware he’d been holding.
“Hey, hot stuff,” Tubbo snickered. “Guess you could say I fell for you.”
Ranboo blushed before flicking his forehead.
“You fell due to your ungodsly clumsiness, actually.” he gave a fond smile as his husband’s giggles continued.
“Cut that shit out or else ‘m divorcing you and taking the kids.”
“With what money, Bug?”
“Shut it.”
Michael’s head raised slightly, very unbothered by the fact that they were somehow in his papa’s lap on the floor instead of under the covers.
He snuggled closer to Tubbo’s chest, snatching Ranboo’s giant hand and cuddling it.
“Aww,” Ranboo’s heart felt as if it would melt.
“Little one’s tired huh?” Tubbo cooed. “Can’t blame him though.”
“Let him sleep, we have a big day ahead.”
“We do?”
“Mhm,” Ranboo nodded. “Surprise, family vacation that I’ve been planning for the past week.”
“Really?”
“Yep.”
“Sap.” Tubbo’s eyes gleamed, so much brighter in comparison to what they’d been the night before. Ranboo was so thankful for that. He subconsciously traced the beautiful scars on his face, gently pushing Tubbo’s hair from his forehead, giving him a peck.
“You just proved my point.” the brunette kissed his cheek in retaliation before he nuzzled into Ranboo’s chest.
“Mhm, mhm, intentionally.”
They sat in comfortable silence, just happy being with each other and their son, a scenario that was almost torn from them.
“You want to get ready?” Ranboo broke the quiet.
“Nah, I’m fuckin’ starving, Boo,” Tubbo replied. “Breakfast first, then productive shit.”
“Should’ve seen that one coming, huh?”
“Yup.” he flopped dramatically in his embrace. “Oh, please, husband of mine, carry me everywhere because I’m too godsdamned exhausted to walk-WOAH-”
Tubbo was cut off as Ranboo stood, trudging towards the doors.
“I was kidding, bossman-”
“I know,” ruby and mint eyes met turquoise. “But I’m more than willing to give you whatever you want after yesterday.” he gently kissed Michael’s head before Tubbo’s cheek.
“Ooh, I’m gonna milk this.” Tubbo gave a shit-eating grin.
“Naturally,” Ranboo laughed.
~*~
“Why do ya care about him so much?”
“Hmm?” Ranboo grunted as he set his heavy bundle of wood on the pile.
“Why do you care for Tubbo?” Techno had already put his down and was now watching Tubbo chase Michael, who was frolicking through the snow. He was still a bit weak from his being brought back to life, especially after their trip, which ended in Ranboo’s second home, but Ranboo knew he’d never pass up the chance to play with their child.
Now that Techno knew of their existence, they could come to the Arctic more often as he could be trusted. Well, mostly. Tubbo still gave him nervous looks or held Michael a bit closer when he was around, but Ranboo would take any progress he could get.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Hey, I’m not judgin’. Just curious.” The piglin raised his hands in a placating gesture.
Ranboo tilted his head, trying to form an answer.
Why did he care for him? Well, how could he even begin?
“He’s my light,” Ranboo sighed, leaning against the crate, watching his family play. “My world, my everything. He and Michael both. He’s, well…”
The man was staring at the two in the distance with an unreadable expression. What was the best way to communicate to Techno just how important Tubbo was to him?
And then it hit him.
“He’s my Philza.”
Techno turned to him with raised eyebrows.
Right on cue, the avian exited his cabin, bringing a tray of cocoa to Michael and Tubbo. He caught the zooming ziglin, throwing the giggling baby up in the air once or twice before passing him to Tubbo. Techno and Ranboo could hear their laughs from where they stood.
The older’s gaze softened considerably as he saw Phil.
“Well, guess he must not be too bad then.”
“Yeah,” Ranboo was elated to have the most important people in his life getting along. It was a huge step up. Now, if only Techno could stand Tommy, it’d be golden. Subconsciously, he wrapped his tail around Techno’s ankle, causing him to give him a questioning look before shrugging.
“It’s fine, by the way.”
“Hmm?” Ranboo asked, wagging slightly as he moved his tail to the man’s wrist instead.
“I get why you didn’t tell me,” Techno elbowed his ribs with his free arm. “No hard feelin’s. But, still, let me teach you piglin sometime.”
“R-really?” Ranboo wagged harder. “You’d do that?”
“If you want.” Techno was obviously trying to kill his smile, knowing exactly what Ranboo’s tail language meant. “Also, I hate children, but Phil doesn’t mind babysitting. Give us a call if you need to cart off the kid for a while. Not too long though, toddlers scare me.”
Ranboo grinned.
Phil called to them to get their mugs, startling both hybrids.
Ranboo and Techno crunched through the soft powder towards the others.
The enderman felt so light, so happy.
Ranboo looked to the clear sky, feeling hopeful for the first time in a while.
Life was good.
For the time being, at least.