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Tommy had figured out that there were two types of husbands.
The brave, loyal, and kind husband, and the energetic, a little childish, and protective husband.
Ranboo and Tubbo clearly fell into each of these sections.
Ranboo was a soft, gentle giant, so kind and attentive to anything Tommy or Tubbo needed. He was loyal to a fault, choosing people rather than sides, and though Ranboo thought otherwise, he was one of the bravest people Tommy knew.
Day after day, Ranboo strove to make sure his family had a home, whether that meant standing up to their enemies and friends alike, or coming home after a long day of work to hugs and smiles.
He was the moon, soft and gentle to everyone he touched, peaceful and calming. And yet anyone who really knew the boy also knew that he shone in the darkness; Ranboo had been through so much, had withstood manipulation and abuse, and had come out on top as a better person.
Tubbo, on the other hand, was all sweetness and jokes and brightness.
Tubbo was one of the kindest people on the server, and yet Tommy knew that if anything were to happen to either him, Ranboo, or Michael, Tubbo wouldn’t hesitate to tear the world to the ground in retaliation. He was stronger, brighter, and more of a leader than Tommy could ever hope to be.
If Ranboo was the moon, then Tubbo was the sun, blinding in his brilliance, warm and welcoming to all who approached. He brought life to everything around him, and those lucky enough to be near the boy basked in his presence.
Tommy couldn’t compare to the two boys he called his best friends and partners.
Okay, maybe there were three types of husbands. Tommy, after all, was technically going to be married to his fiancés at some point, making him another type.
The third type of husband was obnoxious, always annoyingly loud, and too clingy for his own good. He wasn’t worth keeping around, and honestly, Tommy wasn’t sure why anyone would want this third type of husband. He always tried to play it cool and brush everything off, when really, he was dying on the inside.
Tommy was the third kind of husband.
“You’re thinking again.”
Tommy blinked a few times, looking up from his plate of food. “What?”
Tubbo just smiled at him from across the table. “You’re thinking again. You know that’s not good for your tiny little brain.”
“Hey!” Tommy shrieked, jumping up from his chair and lunging across the table to grab Tubbo’s shirt and pull him up. “I have a large brain, thank you very much! You take that back!”
Tubbo came up from his seat easily, laughing the whole way. “Keep telling yourself that, boss man.”
“Okay, okay, guys, settle down,” Ranboo said, though he was laughing as well. “You’re setting a bad example for Michael!” he scolded gently, reaching his long-ass arms across the table to rub Michael’s head affectionately.
“Tubbo started it!” Tommy pointed an accusing finger at his fiancé.
Tubbo held his hands up. “Hey, I didn’t do anything!”
The three exchanged glances, and Tubbo’s quiet snickering set the other two off. The trio laughed for what seemed like forever, and even though nothing was really funny, Tommy all but collapsed in his chair every time he caught sight of Tubbo or Ranboo hunched in on themselves from laughter.
Some babbling pulled Tommy out of his haze of amusement.
He looked up to spy Michael, still sitting in his high chair, waving his spoon around and chattering in a mixture of common and piglin.
“Oh, I know, bubba, I know, we’re ignoring you, aren’t we?” Tommy cooed. “Sorry, Michael. We’ll give you attention now.”
He leaned over and poked Ranboo’s side, invoking another brief round of laughter from the Ender-hybrid. “Your son wants attention!” Tommy said, still poking at Ranboo’s sides.
“He’s your son too,” Ranboo gasped, swatting Tommy’s hands away.
Tommy just grinned. “Yeah, yeah, whatever.”
From the other side of the table, Tommy could hear Tubbo murmuring gently to Michael, and he could have sworn his fiancé was bad-mouthing the pair sitting across from the father-son duo.
When Tubbo spotted Tommy watching them, however, he just gave Tommy a cheeky grin and went back to looking perfectly innocent. Tommy didn’t trust it for a second.
“What were you thinking about, Tommy?” Ranboo asked once their giggles had subsided.
Tommy just shrugged, picking up his spoon and swirling it through the stew in his bowl. “Nothing much.”
Ranboo gently placed his hand on Tommy’s own, halting the movement and forcing Tommy to turn and look at the Ender-hybrid. “What’s up?” he asked, voice soft.
To Tommy’s surprise, Ranboo actually held eye contact with him for a few seconds before looking away again.
Well, now Tommy had to tell them, what with Ranboo showing that amount of trust in him.
“I was just thinking that there are three kinds of husbands.”
“Oh? And what are they?” Tubbo looked up from his own bowl of stew that he was sulking in after being told off by Ranboo.
Tommy could feel his ears flushing red, and he ducked his head slightly as he shook it.
“Come on! Now you have to tell us!” Tubbo said, sounding even giddier at the prospect. Tommy just groaned and buried his head in his hands.
After a moment, he sighed heavily and began speaking.
“Well, first there’s the loyal, kind, and incredibly brave husband, who’s also fiercely protective when the people he loves are in danger.” Tommy turned his head and peeked through his fingers at Ranboo. “He’s sweet, always knows what you need, and he’d do anything for his partners.”
The Ender-hybrid had a slight purple blush dusting his cheeks, but he was smiling. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. He, uh, he’s also incredibly handsome, a wonderful father, and gives the best hugs. He’s the moon.”
“Awww,” Tubbo cooed, resting his hands in his chin and batting his eyelashes. “Do me next!”
“Oi, shut the fuck up!” Tommy said, swatting at the other boy’s head. “You don’t get to hear what type you are now!”
Tubbo started to pout. “That’s not fair! You told Ranboo what type of husband he was! It’s only fair you tell me too!”
Tommy huffed, crossing his arms and turning up his nose at Tubbo. “The second type of husband is childish and mean and clingy and hogs all the blankets at night!”
Tubbo let out a brilliant laugh, and Tommy could feel his own face soften a little in fondness.
“He’s also like the sun, so bright, drawing everyone around him in. He’s so loveable, strives for peace and happiness for those he cares about, but will go to war to protect the people he loves.”
Tubbo’s face changed abruptly, looking surprised and a little pleased, like he wasn’t expecting Tommy to actually comply and tell him. “Oh,” he whispered, ducking his head.
Tommy reach across the table and pulled gently on one of Tubbo’s horns. “He’s also one of my best friends, and I’d like to spend forever with him if he’d let me.” He looked over to Ranboo, offering up his other hand. “With both of them, actually.”
Ranboo grinned, lacing their fingers together. “Well, I think both of these types of husbands want the same thing.”
“Oh?” Tommy laughed. “What is that?”
“You,” Tubbo sang, and Tommy could practically hear his heart eyes in his words.
“Yeah, yeah, you clingy fuck. I get it.”
Ranboo laughed lightly but paused a moment later. “What was the third husband type?” he asked, sounding genuinely curious.
Tommy blanched. “Uh, I really don’t think—”
“Well, I know the third type can be a little loud, but he’s also so soft.”
Tommy whipped his head over to Tubbo, surprised. When the words registered, however, he let out an indignant squawk. “I am not soft! I am a big man! The manliest man to ever man!”
Ranboo hummed in agreement. “Of course he is. He’s so strong and brave, for overcoming everything he’s had to go through and learning to trust others again.”
“He’s our star,” Tubbo whispered, reaching across the table and joining one of his hands with Tommy, the other with Ranboo. “He’s our guiding light home, he’s the one in a million we search for, and he’s beautiful.”
“Most importantly,” Ranboo chimed in, just as soft. “He’s a beacon of hope. For all of us.”
Tommy couldn’t find the words to speak for a moment. Tubbo and Ranboo really thought all those things about him? His heart ached, and Tommy couldn’t tell if it was because he knew the words weren’t true, or if it was just too full from his fiances’ endless waves of love.
He cleared his throat, blinking rapidly.
Tommy shook his head. “Nah, I think the third husband is obnoxious and loud and a bother,” he tried to joke, but it came out a little flatter than he intended. “He just gets in the way of good things.” Tommy refused to look up at his partners, instead diligently picking up his spoon again and shoveling a few bites of stew into his mouth so he wouldn’t have to talk.
Tubbo and Ranboo just looked at him.
Tommy sighed. “I know, I know, I’ve talked about this with Puffy. I just...I’m so happy with you guys,” he admitted. “I don’t want to lose you, but I’m afraid one day you’ll wake up and realize that you’re so much better off without me.”
Tubbo stood from his seat, rounded the table, and pulled Tommy’s head to his chest.
“Never, ever think that we would willingly leave you, Tommy. None of us can predict the future, but as long as it’s in my power, I will always come home to you,” Tubbo promised.
Tommy felt his eyes well up with tears, and he wrapped his own arms around Tubbo’s midsection.
Ranboo scooted his chair closer and wrapped his arms around Tommy as well, resting his head on Tommy’s back. “We love you, Tommy. We asked you to be here, and we want you here for as long as you’ll have us.”
Tommy sniffled slightly. “What did I ever do to deserve you guys?” he choked out.
“You just had to be yourself, Tommy Innit. That’s all you ever had to be,” Tubbo whispered reassuringly.
Large hands began rubbing his back, and though Tommy’s eyes were still wet, he grinned. He was so lucky to have found his two best friends and fiancés.
A soft grunt brought the three boys back to the present. Tommy looked up to see Michael wiggling in his highchair, making grabby hands at the trio.
Tubbo laughed. “You want in on the hug too, little man?” he asked Michael, pulling away to pick up the zombie-piglin child.
Michael snorted in response, lifting his arms and snuggling under Tubbo’s chin once he was securely tucked in the goat-hybrid’s arms.
Tubbo kissed the top of his head, bringing the little boy around the table to where his Boo and Mimi were sitting.
“We’re a family.”
Ranboo nodded, grinning at the people around him. “The sun, the moon, the stars, and our own little planet,” he said, tickling Michael’s sides and making the little boy giggle.
Tommy couldn’t help but echo the laughter as he was swept into yet another hug, this time with Michael.
So maybe there were three kinds of husbands, but they were all family, and that’s what mattered.