Chapter Text
Sitting in the living room, Ranboo glanced over at Tommy who was sprawled over the couch, Michael resting on his chest snuffling softly. His nose was pressed against Tommy’s neck with one hand on his back.
Tubbo was sitting on the chair muttering to himself over paper documents in his lap. He had tied up his bangs with a small hair tie to make it easier to read. An unopened letter sitting on the coffee table that neither of them moved to open. It was for Tommy, Ranboo didn’t even know who it was from. Tommy had brought it over, put it on the coffee table, and flopped down on the couch. At some point, Michael had wriggled up into Tommy’s arms and was now sleeping soundly.
Tommy wasn’t asleep, Ranboo could tell. His eyes darted around the room to anything that made a noise. The window, Tubbo, the window again, the bookshelves creaked, Ranboo when he moved to sit down on the other chair, the direction of the front door, Michael in his arms, the window, Tubbo again.
Even though the blinds were shut Tommy kept glancing over to the window like he was waiting for something to happen. He didn’t say anything, he shifted his hold on Michael.
Tubbo occasionally looked up from the documents he was reading, flicking the pencil in his hand at the paper. He licked his lips and looked at Tommy before sighing and looking back down.
“So… Tommy…” Ranboo coughed to clear his throat, finally deciding to break the tension that seemed like he was the only one affected by, “what… brings you here?”
Tommy looked over his shoulder at Ranboo, there were bags under his eyes. He looked exhausted.
“Nowhere to go,” Tommy shrugged, “thought it best just to come here.”
“Did something happen to your house?” Ranboo asked, leaning forward in the chair he was sitting in. Tommy narrowed his eyes.
“Why do you care? You want me gone so bad just say,” Tommy spat, lowering his voice when Michael shuffled.
“No, I… that’s not what I meant! I was just… you’re always welcome here Tommy just…” Ranboo wrung his hands knowing how badly this conversation was already going and he had barely said three things.
“What Ranboo means is that you’ve been really quiet since you arrived,” Tubbo piped in, “we’re wondering if you’re doing okay?”
Tommy scoffed, turning away from both of them and staring back at the window. “‘Course I am. Big man like me is always doing okay. Just tired ‘s all.”
“Well it’s alright if you’re not doing okay you know,” Tubbo said.
“Yeah, I know. Perfectly peachy right now,” Tommy clenched his jaw, twisting the fabric of Michael’s shirt around his finger. He clicked his tongue sinking deeper into the cushions of the couch.
“If you say so.”
“Mhm.”
“If you’re going to stay the night I can set up the guest bedroom,” Ranboo offered, his tail swishing back and forth in the air. Tommy waved his hand dismissively.
“I’ll just sleep on the couch here, it's fine,” Tommy said.
“Okay…”
The room fell back into silence. Tommy stared down at the ground, his posture heavy with exhaustion. Ranboo was sure that Michael wasn’t helping much if he was trying to stay awake. Because he was from the nether Michael naturally radiated heat when he was outside of the nether. Even if his body temperature dropped way below safe when he was out in the snow.
Tubbo sighed and set the paper down on the coffee table, his pencil rolling off his lap and onto the ground. He pulled his legs up onto the chair, draping his hooves over the armrest.
Ranboo didn’t like the silence. The crackling of the fireplace and Michael’s snores were the only noise filling the room. But Ranboo sat silently, one leg crossed over the other.
Tommy must have fallen asleep soon after their conversation because his breaths evened out and he had sunk deeper into the cushions. Michael still snuggled further into his arms, snuffling quietly.
“I don’t think he’s been sleeping,” Tubbo said flatly after observing Tommy for a few seconds, making sure that Tommy had finally fallen asleep. He stood up, his hooves clicking against the hardwood floor.
“He seems tired,” Ranboo agreed.
Tubbo walked over to the back of the couch, pulling the blanket that was draped over it and laying it gently over Tommy and Michael. He tucked it loosely around his side so if he moved it hopefully wouldn’t fall off the couch. Tommy let out a small exhale, his nose wrinkling.
“Mm.” Tubbo hummed, he shrugged. His small stumpy tail flicked back and forth as he watched Tommy for a few seconds. Ranboo watched them both with an unreadable expression.
Then, Tommy shifted slightly, tightening his grip on Michael. He turned his head to the side, small tears rolling down his cheeks. Tubbo’s eyes widened.
“Is he crying?” Ranboo asked, his voice quiet but his tone had a hint of concern.
“I think…” Tubbo reached down, pressing his palm against Tommy’s cheek, wiping away the tears that continued to fall. Tommy didn’t stir, his expression scrunching up to a small grimace as Tubbo’s rough hand rubbed against his skin.
“Hey,” Tubbo moved his hand, shaking Tommy’s shoulder gently, “Tommy…”
Tommy grumbled, turning his head to the side. Tubbo shook his shoulder again, concerned at the steady stream of tears that ran down his face. Tommy blinked, squinting up at Tubbo with his eyebrows furrowed.
“What?” Tommy muttered, brushing Tubbo’s hand off of him.
“You’re crying big man,” Tubbo said softly, his eyes darting back and forth across Tommy’s face, searching for something.
Tommy’s eyes widened. He sat up slowly, still cradling Michael in his arm. He hastily wiped the tears from his face with the back of his hand.
“Yeah, happens…” Tommy muttered, his cheeks heating up with embarrassment. He turned away from Tubbo with a huff.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Ranboo asked, standing up from where he was sitting. He sat down on the armrest of the couch, looking at Tommy with a concerned expression.
“Yeah I’m fine,” Tommy insisted firmly, “It just happens sometimes… It’s not a big deal.”
“What were you dreaming about?” Tubbo asked, putting his hand on Michael’s head.
“I don’t dream,” Tommy grimaced, rubbing his eyes. Tubbo furrowed his eyebrows confused. Tommy didn’t seem to be willing to elaborate. He crossed his legs in front of himself at the ankles.
“Sorry…” Tommy muttered, “don’t worry about it. It’s fine I swear.”
“If you say so,” Tubbo chuckled weakly, putting his hand on Tommy’s head. Tommy shook his head, brushing Tubbo’s hand off, he grumbled under his breath, another few tears dripping into his lap.
“I think I should take Michael up to bed,” Tubbo wriggled Michael out of Tommy’s arms. Tommy seemed reluctant to let him go but scoffed, turning away from Tubbo as he adjusted Michael in his arms.
“Whatever. He was drooling on me anyway,” Tommy muttered, “what time is it?”
“It’s like eleven, you weren’t sleeping for very long,” Ranboo commented, looking up at the clock on the wall. Tommy clicked his tongue.
“If you wanna go back to sleep feel free,” Tubbo said, “We’ll be quiet.”
Tommy flopped back down on the couch, turning so that his back was facing the room. He grumbled under his breath, pulling the blanket up to his chin. The blanket was one that he and Tubbo had worked on together long before the war and everything that happened. It somehow still survived the destruction of two l’manburg’s and everything else that happened. Tommy shivered.
Ranboo moved from sitting on the armrest of the couch and took Michael from Tubbo’s arms. He shuffled over to the ladder, his tail curling in the air as he climbed up to the attic to put Michael to bed. Tubbo rested his hand on Tommy’s head for a quick second before removing it. He pulled a book down from the shelf and settled back in the chair.
Ranboo returned a few minutes later, he glanced over at Tommy on the couch, he had already fallen asleep again. Ranboo sat down in the other armchair across from Tubbo, tucking his legs under himself.
The fire in the fireplace flickered and crackled warmly.