Chapter Text
It was a quiet day in the library. Other than the few people that filtered through now and again, it was basically empty save for a couple staff members. Not that Tubbo was complaining, of course. Less people meant less work for him. He had been working at the library ever since he had graduated university about two years ago. It was supposed to be a sort of in between job, but for some reason he never ended up leaving. He supposed he didn't have much of a reason to. It paid well enough, and the manager, Puffy, was always nice to him. At the moment he was walking through the rows of shelves with a stack of returned books. He had been told to put them away earlier that day, but had fully forgotten about their existence for the next few hours. It was quite a large pile, and he was beginning to think that perhaps he should have done it in two trips. This thought was immediately proven right when someone walked into him, and the stack of books, as well as himself, went toppling to the floor.
"What the hell?" He sat up and began to restack the books. "Watch where you're going, will you?"
He looked up at the person who had knocked him over and was met with mismatched eyes. Green and brown, both locked on Tubbo's face in shock.
He moved a bit away from the boy staring at him. "Are you okay? I'm not actually that mad. Sorry if I scared you."
"It's- it's you," the boy stammered.
He had an American accent. Maybe a tourist?
But more importantly- "I'm sorry, what?"
"It's you," the boy repeated. He crouched down in front of Tubbo as a smile broke out over his face. "I can't believe it, I finally found you. It's been- god, it's been so long. Is Micheal okay? I missed his birthday, didn't I? I'll have to get him something."
Tubbo just stared at him. Who the hell was this random guy, and why was he talking like he knew him? Tubbo was sure he had never seen him in his life.
"What the fuck?" was all Tubbo managed.
The boy looked at him with concern. "Are you okay?" he asked gently. "I know it's a bit of a shock. I've been gone for what, a year now? But now I'm back! Not really sure how I did it, but-" His voice died as a thought seemed to cross his mind. "Wait a second." He grabbed Tubbo's left hand and examined it, as if looking for something.
"Don't touch me!" Tubbo yanked his hand back and moved farther away from the very strange boy who was beginning to scare him, if just a little bit.
The smile faded from the boy's face. "Damnit," he breathed. "Wrong timeline again."
Tubbo froze. "I'm sorry, the fucking what?"
The boy ran a hand through his split dyed black and white hair as worry began to trace his features. "I really thought I got it this time, I thought- " He glanced over at Tubbo, as if suddenly remembering that he was there. "Right. Right, I need your help."
Tubbo slowly gathered his books and stood up. "Sure. I'm calling security."
"Wait, don't!" The boy grabbed his arm, and Tubbo pulled away, nearly falling over again.
"Stop grabbing me, will you?" he snapped. Something similar to fear passed across the boy's face, and Tubbo let out a sign. "Listen, you're clearly kinda confused or pulling a very strange prank or something, but I don't know who you are, or why you think you know me, so I suggest you leave before I'm forced to call someone."
The boy stared at the floor, a mixture of sadness and guilt making itself home on his face. "I'm- I'm sorry," he said, "but I really do need your help. You're probably the only person who could figure it out, and it's been so long, just- please. If we go somewhere private I'll explain everything."
"Go somewhere private with a complete stranger, great idea." Tubbo turned away. "I'm calling security." He began to walk down the aisle away from the boy. He just needed to set down the books, and then if security didn't show up he'd throw the boy out of the library himself. He didn't look like he'd be too hard to lift.
"Tubbo, wait!"
Tubbo froze in his tracks as cold began to sleep into his bones. He glanced down at his shirt. He wasn't wearing a name tag. "How do you know my name?"
The boy stepped in front of him. Tubbo didn't like how tall he was. "Because I know you," he insisted. "Well, not like this you, but-" He sighed. "Listen, I'll explain everything. I just don't want anyone overhearing."
Tubbo knew what he should do. He should run and call security, or the police, or someone. But sadly, his curiosity was beginning to get the better of him. This was probably some strange prank, but the boy had somehow known his name. Of course, that probably meant more than anything that Tubbo should run, but he wanted to know how. Had he been stalking him? Was this a prank ordered by one of his brothers? Maybe a horrible attempt at making friends by a very lonely person? He had to get to the bottom of it.
And against all better judgment, the next word out of Tubbo's mouth was one of agreement. "Fine," he said. "There's a cafe down the street that I've been meaning to check out. After my shift we'll go there and you'll explain what the hell is going on. And if you're worried about being overheard, don't be. We won't be the only ones there talking."
A smile spread across the boy's face. "That's perfect. Thank you, that's- thanks."
Tubbo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, don't mention it." He turned and began to walk back to the shelves.
"Wait!" The boy ran up to him. "I didn't get to introduce myself. I'm Ranboo."
Tubbo frowned. "You have a very weird name." And with that, he walked away.
The rest of his shift went smoothly. He put away more books, told some people to be quiet in a far louder voice than they had been speaking, and occasionally glanced over to where the boy- or, Ranboo, was sitting at a table reading a book. He didn't seem to be getting very far in whatever it was, and Tubbo was pretending not to notice how often Ranboo would glance over at him. Even with this, Tubbo was surprised to find Ranboo still there by the time his shift ended. Tubbo had thought that he would've gotten bored and left at some point, but apparently, that hadn't been the case.
Ranboo jumped up from his seat when he saw Tubbo approaching. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah," came Tubbo's response. "And no trying to murder me, or I'll murder you back, got it?"
"Why would I try to murder you?"
Tubbo sighed. "Whatever. Come on."
Ranboo tried to make conversation on the way to the cafe. Tubbo ignored him. When they got to the cafe after a few minutes of Tubbo pointedly staring at the street in front of him, they stepped inside to find it full of people. Tubbo breathed a sigh of relief. At least if he was murdered, he wouldn't die alone. Then again, Ranboo probably wasn't stupid enough to murder him in a cafe full of people. Then again, maybe he was. He was very strange.
"So what are you getting?" Ranboo asked.
"Are you paying?"
"I mean, I can."
"Perfect." Tubbo looked up at the menu to find the most expensive thing on the list.
After they had gotten their food Tubbo picked out a table near a bunch of other people and sat down. "Now, explain."
"Right." Ranboo tapped on the sides of his tea cup nervously. A gold ring on his left hand caught Tubbo's attention. He wondered how much it would cost. Maybe he could steal it. "Where should I start?"
"Timelines. What's that about?"
"Oh right, that. How much do you know about time travel and alternate timelines?"
Tubbo shrugged. "Not sure about the timelines, but time travel doesn't exist. Not yet anyway."
Ranboo nodded. "Right, right. So it does."
"And let me guess, you're gonna say that you're from some alternate timeline where you know me and that's how you know my name and everything but I don't know you?"
Ranboo smiled. "Yeah, actually. That was exactly what I was gonna say."
"Of course it was." Tubbo took a sip from his drink. He wasn't sure what it was, but he wasn't paying for it so he didn't particularly care. "And how'd you get here? Do you have a time machine or something?"
"Yes."
"Naturally. And let me guess, you built it."
"No, actually. You did."
Tubbo set down his cup of whatever the hell he was drinking. "I'm pretty sure I'd remember building a time machine."
"Well, you didn't build it."
"I thought you said I did build it?"
"Well yes, but not like you, you. The other you. My you. The one in my timeline. He built the time machine and then I messed with it and now I've been traveling between timelines for a year and I don't know how to get back. Also I think I broke it."
Tubbo picked up his pastry and took a bite out of it. Damn, that was good. He should come here again. He looked back at Ranboo. Right, time travel.
"So you want me to help you fix your time machine?"
Ranboo smiled. "That would be great."
"Right." Tubbo set down his pastry. "So who put you up to this?"
"No, I- what?"
"Was it Tommy?" Tubbo nodded. "This is exactly the type of thing he would do. Have someone show up at the library spouting some weird time travel bullshit to try to freak me out. I'm gonna punch him."
"Please don't punch Tommy."
"Ahah! So you do know him!" Tubbo pulled out his phone. "I'm gonna call him."
"No, I don't know him. Not this version anyway."
Tubbo rolled his eyes. "Right, right. Alternate timeline, sure."
"Yes, alternate timelines. Listen, I know that he's your friend and that you've known each other since you were little, but I'm sure there's stuff here I don't know. There always is."
Tubbo's fingers froze halfway to the call button. "Say that again? About Tommy."
"He's your friend and you've known each other since you were little."
"He's my brother."
"He's what?"
Tubbo put his phone away. "Alright this is getting weird." He stood up. "Thanks for the food, I'm leaving."
"Wait, no." Ranboo stood up with him. "Tubbo, please. You built it in a different timeline, so you might be able to fix it. And I haven't been back in a year and I'm completely lost, I just- I need your help, okay?"
Tubbo looked him over. He was a good actor. "You know I don't believe you, right?"
Ranboo sighed. "Yeah. Yeah, I know that." He was beginning to sound frustrated. "Listen, I can show you your- I mean, my time machine. Just let me try to prove it to you, please."
"And where is this time machine?"
"In a back alley close to here."
Tubbo sighed. "Do you realize how suspicious that sounds?"
"Yes, I do."
Again, Tubbo knew what he should do. He should leave with his food and go home. But again, his curiosity got the best of him.
"Fine," he said. "But I'm texting Tommy to come with us."
Ranboo smiled. "Perfect. That works. Thank you."
Tubbo let out a sign. "Stop thanking me, I shouldn't be doing this." He sent Tommy a text, and a moment later his phone began to ring. He immediately declined the call.
Ranboo looked over at what he was doing. "Is he trying to call you?"
"Yes, he's annoying that way." Tubbo sent another text and a few seconds later got a response. "He'll meet us here." His phone buzzed. "He wants a donut."
It didn't take long to convince Ranboo to buy one. Then they stood outside the cafe and waited. Ranboo tried to start a conversation and Tubbo tried the opposite. He began to wonder if perhaps he was being too mean. Then again, it was the end of the day and he was tired, and this guy had knocked him over in the library and freaked him out, so it was justified. About half an hour later Tommy showed up, walking towards them in his usual red sweater which Tubbo could swear he never washed, and his bag slung over his shoulder.
He stopped in front of them and looked over Ranboo. "You're right, he is weird."
Ranboo glanced from Tubbo to Tommy, "What did you tell him?"
"Not important. Tommy, here's your donut." Tubbo handed him the small paper bag.
"Why, thank you." Tommy took it and stuffed it into his bag. "But if you want to know what he told me, Rambo-"
"Ranboo."
"That's what I said."
"No, you-"
"It's as follows." Tommy pulled out his phone.
"You really don't need to do that." Tubbo tried to grab the phone, but Tommy waved him away.
"Oh yes I do," he said. "Because you see, I was out, simply having a nice walk after I finished work, and suddenly, I get a text from Tubbo. And this text wasn't the usual, 'Pick up some bread on the way home,' or, 'I accidentally hit someone in the face with a book,' it was, and I quote, 'Some weird dickhead showed up at the library and he says he's a time traveler and has a time machine so meet us at that cafe I wanted to go to because he's sus. Also he knows my name and might be planning to kill me.'" He looked up at Ranboo. "Is this true?"
"Everything but the killing."
Tommy nodded. "Yes, I don't think you could do that. You would simply fall over."
"What?"
"Now where is this time machine?''
Ranboo began to lead them to an alley. As he did, Tubbo pulled out a pocket knife.
Tommy looked over to him. "Are you planning to stab him?" he whispered.
"Only if necessary."
"I don't think he'll kill us, he seems really nervous."
"Murderers can be nervous, Tommy."
"Whatever you say, king."
"Here it is." Ranboo's voice interrupted them.
They had reached a dead end. Something big stood in front of them, covered by a tarp. Ranboo reached up and pulled it off.
Tubbo was the first to speak. "Is that the fucking tardis?"
Ranboo tilted his head. "It does kinda look like that, doesn't it?"
It was a blue police box, with windows they couldn't see through. Tubbo wasn't sure if that part was purposeful or if it just had to be cleaned. But there were two things that were different from the traditional tardis. One, was the small illustration of a bee on the front, and two, were the words above the doors. Instead of the usual, 'Police Box', it read 'The Tubbox' in bright yellow paint.
"This is awesome." Tommy was circling the box, looking at it in fascination. "Can we go inside?"
"Yes." Ranboo stepped forward and pulled a key from his pocket, then inserted it into the lock on the front and opened the door.
Tommy rushed into it and froze. "Tubbo, you have to see this."
Tubbo stepped in. He gasped. "It's bigger on the inside."
A square silvery room, with glowing panels lining the walls, and a giant control panel with several monitors on it sticking out of one side. Three chairs sat in front of it, attached to the floor, and on the opposite side stood at least six more, a long table in front of them. On the wall opposite the door sat a giant metal box, inside which Tubbo didn't even want to guess what was stored.
"So?" Ranboo's voice resonated behind him. "Do you believe me now?"
A machine that was bigger on the inside, controls which he couldn't understand, the words 'Tubbox' and a picture of a bee, and- Tubbo walked over to a wall and stared at the framed picture hanging there. Someone who looked identical to him, wearing clothes he didn't own and standing next to a person he didn't know.
Tubbo let out a sigh. "I believe you."
"I believe you too, if you're wondering," Tommy chimed in. "What does this do?"
"Don't touch that!" Ranboo ran over and swatted Tommy's hands away from the control panel.
Tommy pouted. "Tubbo, tell him to stop being mean to me."
Tubbo walked over and looked over the controls. "What happened to the keyboard?"
A look of embarrassment crossed Ranboo's face. "I got a little bit frustrated."
Tommy lifted the keyboard. It looked like it had been snapped in half. "You've got issues, king."
"I know. And look." Ranboo flicked a switch. Nothing happened. "It doesn't even turn on anymore."
"What's the power source?" Tubbo questioned, running his hand over the controls.
"Vegetable oil. Why?"
Tubbo nodded in appreciation. "A clean burning fuel, that's good."
"Exactly." Ranboo's face lit up. "I remember you- or, uh, not you, other you. You told me- I mean, he told me about that- yeah."
An awkward silence fell over the room. Ranboo suddenly became very interested in the wall as Tubbo stared pointedly at the floor.
Tommy cleared his throat. "Tubbo, why were you asking about the power source?"
"Oh, right." Tubbo looked over at Tommy. "Do you think that maybe you just need to refill it?"
"Why are you asking me?"
"I'm asking Ranboo."
"You're looking at me."
Tubbo sighed and turned to Ranboo. "Did you refill the fuel tank?"
"No."
"That's probably why it's not working."
Ranboo nodded. "That's smart, yeah. So I just need to get more fuel. That's easy. But what about the keyboard?"
"You need a new one."
"Yeah, but, issue with that. I think he used some strange adapter thing and I don't know how any of it works."
Tommy groaned. "This other Tubbo sounds like he really enjoyed making things unnecessarily complicated."
"Hey!" Tubbo turned to him. "Don't talk about me like that!"
"I'm not talking about you."
"Like, in a way, though."
"Not really."
"Keyboard," Ranboo interrupted. "How do we fix it?"
"Right, right." Tubbo thought for a moment. "Do you have, like, a control manual or something?"
"Or something, yeah." Ranboo walked over to the metal box and pulled out a book. He tossed it to Tubbo.
Tubbo opened it and stared at the contents. "What the fuck?"
Tommy looked over his shoulder at the pages. "Oh, that's coded."
It was gibberish. Letters together in ways that made them seem like they were pretending to be words but failing miserably. None of the combinations made sense.
"I've been trying to decode it for a while," Ranboo said, walking back to them. "Nothing works."
Tommy looked at it for a few more seconds. "We can figure it out." He took the book. "I mean, how hard could it be?"
Tubbo nodded. "I do like a challenge."
Ranboo smiled. "So you'll help me, then?"
Tommy shrugged. "Obviously. Time travel is pretty awesome and you honestly seem kinda hopeless seeing as you didn't stop to consider that your time machine may just be out of fuel."
Tubbo snickered. "Yeah, aren't time travellers supposed to be smart?"
Ranboo sighed. "I didn't choose to be a time traveler, it just happened."
Tommy rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and I didn't choose to be awesome and cool and amazing."
"Cause you're not?" Tubbo suggested.
Tommy ignored him. "Anyway, Rambo-"
"Ranboo."
"You can stay with us while we figure this out. It'll be most efficient."
"I can?" Ranboo said.
"He can?" Tubbo turned to his brother. "Tommy, what are you-"
Tommy ignored him. "Of course you can! I think it'll-"
"We need to talk." Tubbo grabbed Tommy's arm and dragged him out of the time machine.
"What are you doing?" Tommy pulled away from him as soon as they were out the door.
"What am I doing? Tommy, you can't invite a random guy to stay in our apartment. We don't even have room."
"He could sleep on the couch."
"Tommy-" Tubbo sighed and put his head in his hands. "We don't know him."
"We do in a different timeline."
"So? That doesn't mean anything."
Tommy crossed his arms. "It means that a version of us trusts him. Don't you trust yourself?"
Tubbo paused for a moment. That person in the picture looked exactly like him. Ranboo had mistaken them for the same person even though he had been traveling through different timelines for a year. If they really weren't that different- "Maybe I do."
"Exactly. So we let him stay and if he tries anything you can stab him."
Tubbo smiled. "That would be fun."
Tommy nodded. "As your younger brother, it is not my job to be concerned about that statement." He peeked inside the time machine. "Tubbo says you can stay with us!"
Half an hour later the three were standing in Tommy and Tubbo's apartment. It was smallish, with a singular bedroom that they shared and photographs on the walls of the most random things. It was also what Tommy would call an organized mess. Books stacked haphazardly on the shelf, a pile of change on the coffee table which Tommy absolutely refused to move, and last but not least, a glass bowl which used to house their goldfish. There was now a piece of paper taped onto the bowl which read, Bee. He died after three days because Tommy fed him chocolate.
Ranboo walked over to the fish bowl. "Why did you feed your fish chocolate?"
Tommy dropped his bag onto the couch. "We don't speak of that, Rambo."
"Ranboo."
Tommy clapped his hands together. "Anyway, to business. We have a book to decode."
"How should we do that?" Ranboo questioned. "By hand?"
Tommy laughed. "God, no. Tubbo, grab your laptop."
Tubbo didn't even look up. "Grab it yourself."
Tommy shook his head sadly. "See Rambo? This is what I have to deal with."
"It's-" Ranboo let out a defeated sigh. "Whatever."
When Tommy had returned with the laptop, Tubbo started it up, and Ranboo walked over to hover at his shoulder to see what he was doing.
"Why is your background a nuclear reactor?"
Tubbo looked up at him. "Do you value your eyes?"
"I- yes. What?"
"Then you should move." Tubbo turned his focus back to his laptop.
Ranboo stepped away from him. "So what are you doing?"
Tommy patted Tubbo on the shoulder. "Well Tubbo over here recently downloaded some wonderful decoding software onto his computer. Now he just needs to scan all the pages of the book and put them in."
"Wait, why do I have to scan them?"
"Because I'm making dinner."
"I can make dinner."
"Nope!" Tommy walked towards the kitchen. "Rambo, what do you like to eat?"
Ranboo walked after him. "I like spaghetti."
Tommy nodded in appreciation. "I see you are a man of culture. What type?"
"There are different types?"
Tommy stopped walking. "Rambo, what is wrong with you? Cause there seems to be a lot."
"Well that's just rude."
"It was not rude. It was simply an observation."
Tubbo was lying on his bed, looking up at the ceiling. He couldn't sleep. The day had simply been too weird. He had met a random guy who had claimed to know him and turned out to be a time traveler. Or a timeline traveler? To be honest, it scared him. He was completely out of his depth.
"Tubbo? Are you awake?"
Tubbo rolled over to face the bed on the other side of the room. He could just make out Tommy in the dark.
"Yeah, I'm awake. Guess you couldn't sleep either?"
"Yup." He heard Tommy sigh quietly. "Tubbo, are we being stupid?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well we let a random time traveler guy who we don't really know into our house, and now we're helping him fix his time machine. On top of that, we can tell absolutely no one about it. Kinda scary, innit?"
Tubbo took time to answer. "A little," he finally said.
"And that's not even the strangest part," Tommy continued.
"Really?"
"Yes. And I'm gonna sound a bit ridiculous when I say it, so don't laugh. But I feel like I kinda know him. A bit. It's like a weird sense of deja vu."
It didn't sound that ridiculous. He had been feeling it too. It was like he vaguely recognized Ranboo, but he had no clue from where or when. Like some old memory had been dragged to the front of his head but had lost its details along the way.
"I know what you mean," Tubbo said.
He heard Tommy laugh softly. "Good to know I'm not the only one losing it."
"Hey, speak for yourself. I'm not losing anything."
"You will. You'll see."
"Is that a threat?"
"Maybe."
"Well stop." Tubbo glanced at the clock next to his bed. "We should really try to sleep."
"Probably, yeah." Tommy rolled over. "Goodnight, Tubbo."
"Goodnight."