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The other two nod, Tommy picking up Micheal and Tubbo packing a small bag for him.
“I’m assuming the other ones are downstairs?” Ranboo nods. They pick up their communicator, clicking Techno and putting it to their ear.
Hullo
Hey Tech, we uh-
Already miss us huh? Phil will be happy to hear that.
Um, no that's not it. We have a problem
What’s wrong?
Everything was fine until we got to Micheal’s room. There’s smiley faces all over the room. Then Tubbo noticed something behind the door, he looked and it’s a message written in his blood.
Are you guys still there? And is it safe to say that you’ll be back here?
Yes to both. We’re packing a small bag for Micheal first.
Ok, listen-
A creak in the floorboards startles them. They turn, sending a questioning look to the other two.
They both shake their heads. Ranboo can hear Techno talking to them but they can’t really hear him. The door clicks shut, Tubbo putting his hands up, “Wasn't me.” Adrenaline pumping, they tune back into what Techno is saying
Ranboo? Ranboo! What’s happening?!
So don’t be alarmed but there might be someone in the room with us, invisible maybe.
Get out of that damn house, Phil and I are on our way. Shit, Phil just told me Punz escaped again, be careful! Ranboo?
Techno’s voice drifts off again as they all watch particles float around the room. They walk away from the door and around the room, passing by all three of them.
Tubbo grips the bag, “I don’t know about you guys but I’m ready to get the fuck out.” “Yea, let’s go.” Tommy opens the door, still holding Micheal. Ranboo takes two steps before a hand on their wrist stops them. They pull, the hand not letting up. “Ranboo? Come on man, we gotta go!” “I’m trying! Something has my wrist.” Tommy yells out, “Tubbo, the door!”
They turn to see Tommy squished in between the door frame and the door. He drops Micheal, pushing against the door’s weight. Tubbo is pulling on the door, barely pulling it away enough to help Tommy out.
Another hand grabs Ranboo’s communicator, “Hey! Techno!”
Ranboo?
What’s going on?
Ran-
The device falls to the floor, Ranboo feeling the air slightly move as, what Ranboo guesses is a foot, smashes it into pieces. Everything seems to stop, there is only silence as the hand leaves their wrist. The particles float towards Tommy, the three visible people in the room realizing there is another set. Tubbo realizes they’re headed towards Tommy, he lets go of the door and pulls Tommy in.
He then slams the door shut, locking it. He yells to Micheal, “Listen buddy, I need you to go to Tommy’s hotel ok? Phil and Techno will be there ok?” Ranboo can hear Micheal’s muffled voice answer him, “I know buddy but I need you to be brave. Take this and call Techno ok?” Tubbo takes his communicator out of his pocket, sliding it under the door.
Ranboo can hear Micheal run away and when the footsteps stop, Tubbo stands tall,
“Come on Dream. We know it’s you. Punz, you too.” Two buckets appear, Dream and Punz materializing into the room. “Well well, welcome home you three,” Dream laughs, looking at the three teens, “bet this isn’t what you were expecting huh?”
Tommy scoffs, “Cut the bullshit Dream. We know why you’re here.” Dream chuckles, he takes a step towards Tommy, driving his fist into his stomach, right below his ribs.
Tommy doubles over, a hand on his stomach, “You never learn, do you Tommy? That mouth is gonna get you killed, y’know again.” He draws his sword, Tubbo stepping towards him, Punz grabbing his arm and pulling him back.
“Get off you dickwad!” Ranboo’s frozen, just watching this all go down.
Move
They can’t, too many thoughts are running through their head. Too many to just grab onto one and act on it. Dream is standing over Tommy sword in hand. Tubbo is still pulling against Punz and Ranboo is frozen.
Move
Your friend and husband are in danger
Move!
“Shit, Dream. I gotta knock him out, he won’t stop fighting.” “Go for it, one less kid we have to deal with.” Punz pulls out a weakness potion, he pushes Tubbo back, raising his hand in the air. Ranboo finally moves, they dart across the room, throwing their body in Punz’s, both falling. “Shit, Dream!” There are footsteps before another shout, “Stay away from them!”
There’s a grunt before a cry of pain. Ranboo turns, moving to their knees to charge Dream. Tubbo holding Dream's sword blade with his hand. His face is scrunched up in not only pain but determination, Tommy’s behind him. Ranboo feels a tug on the back of their shirt then abruptly pulled backwards.
Ranboo’s not stupid, they know it’s Punz. One hand grabs their hair, yanking it back, exposing their neck. Ranboo has to strain to see Tubbo and Tommy. They fight Punz’s hand, only being met with an axe blade.
“Everybody stop!” Ranboo freezes, terrified to move. Tubbo turns to them, seeing the blade at Ranboo’s throat, his eyes widened. Dream pulls the sword back, nicking his hand. Dream tries to kick Tubbo down but Tommy pulls him back.
Tubbo swipes Dream’s feet from underneath him, that action moves Punz to pull the axe closer to Ranboo’s throat. “I will kill them!” Ranboo flinches, panic setting in. Ranboo tries to scratch at Punz’s hand but that just gets their wrists caught and pushed into their back.
Dream is up, smiling madly, “Now that we’ve calmed down, here’s what's gonna happen. Tubbo, Tommy, you are coming with me.” Tommy goes to speak up, a hand over the mouth from Tubbo stopping him, “But here’s the catch, you don’t cooperate, I kill Ranboo.”
Tubbo’s hand goes to the ring on his hand, Ranboo had given it back at Phil’s. Ranboo can feel the weight of theirs on their horn. Dream chooses that moment to kick Tubbo across the face, Tubbo falling. “Tubbo!” Tommy grabs his arm, turning him over. Tubbo has a hand on his nose, blood coming out of it. Dream then grabs Tubbo’s shoulder, raising a fist Tommy jumps up, pushing Dream’s arm away. Dream drops Tubbo, “You just don’t know what to stop, do you?”
He kicks Tommy in the ribs, Tommy sputtering and coughing. Dream grabs Tubbo again, punching him in the ribs as well. Ranboo can only watch in horror.
“So you two, will you cooperate?” Tubbo raises his head to look at Ranboo who shakes his head.
Dream watches, laughing, “What? Ranboo you’re really willing to lose your last life for this? For him?” Ranboo stares Dream in the eyes, “I would, absolutely. Do your worst Dream, I won’t stop fighting until I’m dead.” Dream chuckles, walking over and kneeling in front of them, “That’s funny, coming from someone who has an axe to their throat. You can’t do anything.”
Ranboo smiles, “Who says I haven’t?” The lock clicks and the door creaks open, Dreams turns but Tommy already pushed Tubbo out. He lunges for Tommy, catching him by the back of the shirt.
He fights to get Tommy back in, Tubbo yelling from outside. “Go! Tubbo, get to the hotel now!”
Dream yells back, “Tubbo, if you do not get back here, I will have Punz slit Ranboo’s throat.”
Ranboo joins the yelling, “Don’t you dare Tubbo! I’ll be-”
Ranboo never finishes their sentence, Dream raising his sword catches their eye. He brings the hilt of it down and strikes Tommy’s temple. He falls, Ranboo watches, unable to catch him when his head connects with the floor. Dream sends a look towards Ranboo before stalking out the door, grunts and cries float back into the room. Ranboo hears footsteps run down the steps, Dream curses.
More voices echo through the house, loud and deep.
They feel Punz let go of their wrists, the axe finally being moved from their throat. “I’ll be back. If you move-” Ranboo raises their hands, the threat is clear. The second Punz is out of the room, Ranboo is at Tommy’s side. They bring his head onto their lap, cradling it. They tap his face with their fingers, “Tommy? Come on, you need to wake up.” A cry from Tubbo makes them flinch.
“Shit!” Multiple footsteps echo through the house, Ranboo moving Tommy’s unconscious body slightly behind them, ready to put themselves in front of it. Dream and Punz both appear in the doorway, blood staining their clothes, they seem out of breath.
“Give him to me Ranboo, now.” “No, get away from us.” Dream shakes his head, Punz turning to him, “We don’t have time for this, just grab them both.” Ranboo moves in front of Tommy, “Where’s Tubbo?”
“Got away the little brat,” Dream spits. Ranboo relaxes slightly, “ You’re not getting Tommy, Dream. You’ll have to get through me.” Dream laughs, “Oh it won’t be hard. One weakness potion and you’re out,” he smirks, “That means less time I have to spend fighting you and more time we have to get away before Phil and Techno get up here.”
“W-what? They’re here.” Ranboo feels something in their chest lighten
They’re here
Phil and Techno are here
They’re safe
They’re-
“Oh, they’re not gonna save you in time. Punz?” He hands Dream a potion Ranboo just knows is weakness.
The weight is back, along with the feeling of acceptance.
Tubbo got away
Yea, that's comforting to Ranboo. Whatever hell Tubbo was going to go through, Ranboo is in his spot. They can accept that.
“Well Ranboo, any last words. When you wake up, you won’t be here and you’ll never see Tubbo again.”
“Ranboo?!”
Techno
Stall
Keep Dream talking
Tommy shifts behind them, Ranboo wrapping their tail around his hand. “When, not if, when I get the chance, I am going to kill you.” “Ooo, fighting words, let’s see if you’re still alive to fulfill them.”
He throws the potion, closing the door. It hits their head, the effects taking effect immediately. Ranboo’s limbs start to get heavy, they collapse. Ranboo can hear voices on the other side of the door, they grow fainter.
“Ranboo!”
Phil their mind supplies
They use the last of their strength to turn towards Tommy, wrapping a hand around his.
The door flies open again, hands grab Tommy, pulling him away from Ranboo. “No . . .” Rough hands grab them next, “Don’t worry, you’re going with him.” Ranboo wills themselves to stay awake, but the potion pulls them under.
The last thing they see as they’re carried out of the room, Punz hitting their head on the frame, is a green and white hat and pink hair.
. . .
. . .
“-id?” They shift, “-ey -ke up!” They try to open their eyes, just seeing a blur, they can hear more clearly now, “Don’t make me hurt you, come on Ranboo.”
The blur makes its way into a face.
Tommy
The blur chuckles, “You wish.”
A foot connects with their head, they’re awake in an instant. Punz chuckles, “That wasn’t so hard, was it?” They sit up, taking in the concrete walls around them. They lean against the one behind them, staring up at Punz.
Looking behind him, Dream is standing in the doorway, iron door open.
Punz kicks them again, this time in the stomach, “Don’t even think about it, you’ll be dead before you get there.” Blood drips on their shirt, an ache in their abdomen, and a splitting headache.
What a way to wake up
“Where-where am I?” “Somewhere”
They glare at Dream, “Where’s Tommy?” This gets them their hair being yanked back, tears sting their eyes. “What's with all the attitude? I mean, you’re still alive, be grateful.” Dream smirks, “You should thank me.” “No, I have nothing to thank you for.” Dream pushes themselves off the wall, bending down the Ranboo, “Last chance. Thank me for keeping you alive.”
“Never. Where’s Tommy!?” Dream sighs, getting up. They motion to the left, Ranboo follows, heart dropping. Chains come out from the wall, Dream walks over to them, unlocking them.
“Bring them over.” Punz grabs their arms, Ranboo fighting him. “Come on kid, don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”
“No! Get off me.” “Dream? A little help?”
“No!” Punz traps their arms to their side, wrapping his arms around Ranboo and picking them up.
Ranboo fights and kicks, they get close to Dream, kicking at him. He just moves with practiced ease. Ranboo can’t ignore the fact that they’re pushed down, Punz holding their legs together.
They can’t ignore the fact that their hands are being pulled up and restrained, the feeling of the cuffs makes the pit in their stomach grow bigger.
They pull at the cuffs, not even getting their hands down to their head. Dream steps back, “Look at that, I knew putting those in was a good idea.” Ranboo scoffs, “Great I’m chained up, now where’s Tommy!”
Punz takes a step back, they watch Dream’s expression, it darkens. “I lost him.” Ranboo laughs, “You lost him? Oh that is just golden, how exactly did you do that?” Dream rolls his shoulder, “Oh, they shot you! Ha!” “Watch your mouth, I still have you.”
Ranboo throws their head back, laughing, “But I’m not the one you really want, am I? Face it Dream, you lost.”
Looking back, taunting Dream when they couldn't defend themselves probably wasn’t the best idea.
Last thing they remember was passing out, blood dripping off their face and clothes onto the floor. The smell of blood is strong,
Huh, Techno can smell blood
. . .
. . .
They wake up again, more sore than the first time. They can barely lift their head this time, just registering the voices are shouting from outside the room their in, they try to catch onto one
Dream
Punz
And . . .
Others?
They curl their legs into their chest, ignoring the pain from the action. The iron door flies open, pink hair making an appearance. They nearly smile
Techno
“Ranboo!”
Ranboo promptly blackout to Techno running his way, Phil appearing in the doorway behind him.
. . .
. . .
“What if they don’t though?” “They will, Tubbo. I promise.” Ranboo opens their eyes, the light from the window making them wince.
This draws a throb from their chest and legs, they whimper. Tubbo’s head snaps to them, “Boo? You awake?” They feel a sob bubble up their throat, “Tubbo?” They try to sit up, to hug Tubbo, to at least touch him. “No! Stay still,” they turn their head, taking something from someone. Ranboo takes note of the bandages around their torso and head but Ranboo doesn’t care, “Drink first.”
Tubbo cups the back of their neck, helping them drink the potion slowly
They hope it’s not weakness
They don’t want to sleep again
“It’s just healing, Boo.” “Micheal?” “Phil has him, him and Tommy are downstairs.” “Tech?”
“Right here kid, glad to have you back.” Ranboo tries to sit up again, the potion taking away some of the ache. They pull Tubbo in, the sob finally bubbling up. Tears burn their cheeks as they clutch onto Tubbo. “Hey, it’s ok. Let it out.” “He said I’d never see you again.”
Tubbo tightens his hold, “We were never gonna stop looking for you. Techno beat himself up that he got Tommy back but not you.” They pull back, “What?
“All I remember is . . . is” Some of the memories come flooding back, Ranboo shuddering. “Hey, it’s ok kid. Phil shot Dream but my arrow missed Punz. He threw a pearl and they disappeared. Tommy woke up minutes later asking about you.”
Techno sits on the bed, sighing, “I had to tell him that I missed and we lost them. He nearly bowled me over trying to get outside, he wanted to go look for you.” “How did you find me?” Tubbo holds up his finger, “The ring, Boo. Phil put a small tracking enchantment on them before we left.” Techno pulls out a compass, the red line spinning wildly.
Ranboo laughs, sobbing once more they latch onto Techno. “Before I passed out at our house, I saw you and Phil. I tried my best to stall but-” “It’s ok, kid. You did everything you could.” Techno pulls back, taking Ranboo now steaming face in his hands, “It’s ok, you’re safe now ok? He can’t hurt you anymore.” They shake their head, “It’ll take more than that to get me to believe that.”
They turn to Tubbo, “I’d do it again though.” Tubbo looks at Techno confused, “Do what again?”
“Take your place.”
“Ranboo . . .” “No, listen!” They grab Tubbo’s arms, “You got away and that put me in your place and that was ok with me, you didn’t have to go through what I went through.” They cup Tubbo’s face, “You don’t have to do that Boo.”
“But I would, over and over again.” Techno places a hand on their shoulder, Ranboo pushing it off, “Don’t start Techno. I mean it.”
The door opens, Ranboo panics, grabbing Tubbo and trying to pull him behind them. “Hey, it’s just me.” Ranboo relaxes a bit, just Phil
“How are you feeling Ranboo?” The phantom feeling of hands on their legs and wrists come forth but they shove that feeling down. “As good as I can be, Phil. Thank you for the enchantment on the rings.”
“You’re welcome, mate.” “So what now? Are we gonna be able to go back?”
Techno exchanges a look with Phil, “Well, we were hoping you’d just live with us.” “We don’t want to intrude, again.”
Phil sends them a reassuring smile, “You wouldn’t be intruding. We just want you to be safe.” Ranboo sighs, “Yea safe, whatever that means.” Tubbo nods, “We thought we were safe then this happened.”
“Phillll, is Ranboob up yet?” Tommy comes in, falling silent at the tense atmosphere in the room. He makes his way over to Ranboo, climbing behind them and resting their head on their shoulder, careful of their injuries.
Phil watches the three, unsure. He wants them, all three of them, to feel safe but with one thing happening after another, Phil doesn’t know if he can make them truly feel it anymore.
Ranboo can see the look of concern on his and Techno’s face. They just let Tommy lean on him and run a hand through Tubbo’s hair.
They only want to feel safe, that's all they ever wanted. Even when they’re surrounded by the PVP gods of the server, they don’t feel safe. They trust Phil and Techno with their life but there's no feeling of safety.
They just want to feel safe
Sitting with Tommy and Tubbo around them, they want the same thing for them too.
Is that too much to ask?