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1
The night was one of tears and realizations.
It's the day he finally learns.
It's the day he learns that a good friend doesn't necessarily make a good husband, it's the day where he begins to keep his heart locked in a safe of which only he had the key to.
It's the day that starts a chain reaction of abandonments, sadness, and eventual isolation. The day that makes Ranboo wonder if Tubbo was ever a good choice and if he should have ever done that coinflip and makes him wonder if he regrets it. Regrets the nights he spent in the forge to make those rings. Makes him wonder if he regrets getting down on one knee.
Some days he feels almost certain he does.
No- no, how could he think that? How could he let himself say that? Even if it’s just in his mind. He doesn't regret it. He wouldn't for as long as he lived. But time changes people, and time changed Tubbo into someone unrecognizable that night.
It was something that was bound to happen.
He should have seen it coming. Even if the whole Burger Scandal, as he calls it, had ended well over two years ago, it started a chain of arguments. A few small spats here and there, until it reached the final cassandro.
It was storming that night. The main lands of the SMP were drenched in pouring rain, and snow piled up in Snowchester higher and higher with every hour.. Tensions were already high from an argument last night over… Ranboo can't actually remember. Was it about the dishes? Or maybe it was about whose turn it was for chores that day..
Either way, somehow, that was what did it. Something happened — he doesn't know what, but something happened and suddenly he was yelling and Tubbo was yelling back and then Tubbo wasn't there anymore.
Instead there was a dent in the wall, a flung open door and a final 'message' of a goodbye.
[Tubbo_ left the game]
And that's when his world shatters. That's how he found himself days later, sending a desperate voicemail to a decommissioned comm.
2
The second time around, he's able to say a proper goodbye.
Normally, nobody warns anyone before they leave the game and never come back — at least not on this server. Ranboo has a sinking feeling it's because no one is willing to face their past when they leave.
Normally, the person leaving would only tell one person, maybe a close friend, or no one at all before it’s suddenly rung out on everyone's comms.
It's a surprise, when after he puts Micheal to bed and finishes the dishes, that Tommy knocks on his door.
He's not only surprised by the knock that was distinctly Tommys , but also the fact Tommy would willingly trudge all the way to the arctic. Not with who Ranboos' neighbors were, not with how the three never made true amends.
Tommy comes into the house rather loudly, and Ranboo has to hush him harshly so Micheal doesn't wake up. The man (Prime it was weird to call him that — it seems like only months ago when the duo turned 18 together, in reality it has been years.)just laughs and claps him on the back.
Ranboo cuts to the chase. "What do you want from me, Tommy? You never come up here willingly, even if it's of the utmost importance."
The blonde just pauses and his cheery facade drops in an instant. "I'm… I'm inviting you to come with me, big man."
Ranboo pauses, almost dropping the object they had started subconsciously tossing in between their hands. "What d'you mean?"
Tommy flops onto the beat up couch. "Means im leaving. My bags are packed and I'm jumping through the portal. I'm leaving this Prime-for-saken SMP behind. Thought you might want to come with?"
Ranboo sets the object — of which he realizes was a cup, down on the table.
"You know I can't Tommy, you know I can't leave no matter how much I want to." His eyes drift upstairs. "I have-"
"You have Micheal. I know," Tommy says. "Just… at least hug me goodbye tomorrow?"
"I will. I promise."
And he does. The next day he leaves Micheal with Phil and arrives in the Greater SMP. He cringed at every red vine he sets flame to, but he catches Tommy at the server portal before he leaves.
"I'll miss you." he whispers when the others' chin is resting comfortably in the crook of his neck. "Micheal'll miss you too."
"As long as you don't forget me boob boy,'' Tommy laughs. "who knows we might meet again."
Ranboo waves the other off as he disappears into the portal.
(Later, years later, they do meet again. It's a reunion filled with hugs and laughter.)
3
The third one is less of a goodbye and more of an acceptance.
Everyone has left — he's marked it down in his book.
Everyone has left, except Dream, but he was stuck in prison. Forever wasting away, for Sam left long ago.
Ranboo wouldn't be surprised if the vines had gotten to him by now, or that the man finally had enough and kept jumping in the lava until he just didn't respawn anymore.
Ranboo wouldn't know, he hasn't touched a comm in a long time.
(There was no point to. The chats were all empty anyway.)
The last person to leave, solidifying Ranboos' new isolated life, is Niki.
He knew it was coming, he just thought they would leave together.
Nikis the last one to leave, she leaves in the middle of the night with just a note left in his mailbox. It told him to take care of himself, and that she was sorry, but she couldn't take the loneliness anymore.
Ranboo can't find it in himself to care..
His only friend left in the wasteland — the one that stayed to help him because she knew he couldn't leave, the one that stays and helps him raise Micheal, helps him tend to crops, finally leaves. She finally gives in to the taunting freedom
Micheal is eight when she leaves, Ranboo is 22.
He finds it funny, one of the first people he's met on this server is the last one to leave.
Yet still, he can't find himself to care. He just…. continues.
He continues to till the ground, to burn the red vines he continues to raise Micheal and he continues to go through his daily chores.
He's numb, and maybe he should feel angry at that but…. he isn't..
He simply continues in his life, and Micheal never once asks where Aunt Niki disappeared to.
It's like Niki was never there at all.
+1
Ranboo has met many people in his life; eventually the faces and names all blur together. In the end, the only name that stands out is his own at the top of the leaderboard.
He's not numb anymore, thank Prime, but sometimes the only thing that gets him up in the morning is the thought that if he doesn't, he and Micheal will starve for the week.
So, he goes out every night when the piglin is sleeping to fight in the sky arenas — though he mostly stays on the sidelines as a medic. Both pay well and give enough coins for them to not be kicked to the curb.
It's been two years since he and Micheal escaped the falling apart SMP, and though Hypixel isn't as great as it used to be, Ranboo couldn't be happier.
He can't bring himself to be sad anymore, and through the blur of faces, many still stand out.
Like the baker down the block that reminded him of Niki; they would always give him some pastries for free.
Or the twins he often ends up being paired with when he's moving boxes around; they were always arguing, in a good way though. The kind that just screams they're related.
The one that sticks out the most is Micheal, who he brings to school each day and teaches how to fight on the weekends. Who he's raised through his blood sweat and tears, who he keeps on going for.
Ranboo often finds himself wondering if he should just give up, it was a thought that started when life started getting rough and never went away. He doesn't give up though.
He has people counting on him.
He has Micheal, he has the twins, the baker from down the block, and even the dogs that lived in the back alley! The ones that bring away the numbness and stick out from the crowd, the ones worth living for.
He doesn't have anything from his past to haunt him anymore! He can heal!
(He still has the communicator, he still has the photo and he still has the scratched up memories.)
The bell rings as he enters the bakery.
Ranboo immediately beelines his way over to the counter.
"Hello Mx Miro!" he chirps.
A red haired fox hybrid pops up from behind the counter, their eyes sparkling. They greet with the same greeting as always.
"Good to see you're still around,"