Archive of Our Own

to put it simply, ranboo and Tommy hated each other. So much in fact that they argued every day to the point they got regular noise complaints. Whether they were fighting over space, food, or even that random sock neither of the two were willing to pick up.

Why did they fight all the time? Couldn't they just make some compromise where they both benefited, like not leaving a smelly sock on the floor in spite of the other?

It wasn't that simple.

Tommy was an amphiboid, if you don't know what that is his closes living relative on earth is a toad. He is slimy, he is sticky, he is muddy, and gross. Everyone practically avoided him, (it didn't help when ranboo made a rumor about him giving people wart's if anyone touched tommy when they were younger. It Really didn't help his social life at all.)

And well ranboo is an enderian! His DNA basically built him to be perfect at everything, he was royalty to make it even worse, If his planet wasn't blown up years ago he would be fit to be a king! A king! Tommy could only manage to pull off maybe a servant or a janitor, maybe a low-class knight if he tried his hardest...

Oh and! they were polar opposites too!

tommy needed to have warmer temperatures, but ranboo needed cold temperatures,

so understandably when Niki paired the two into the same dorm they both fought over the thermostat for hours. Ranboo turning it down ten minutes earlier, only for tommy to turn it up, then for ranboo to turn it back down later when he started sweating, and so on.

Tommy wasn't the cleanest person either, his side of the room was always cluttered with papers and books and all sorts of trash, all while ranboos was neat and organized. Just another thing that was "perfect" in ranboo's life.

today like no other, tommy and ranboo were in another shouting match, scaring off any person who happened to walk past their dorm, them running away when one of the books ranboo threw happened to hit the door.

"I don't understand why you can't just keep your mess on your side of the room!" Ranboo shouted throwing books that had somehow found their way on top of his things towards tommy who ducked when one of them got a little too close, that would of definitely give him a nasty concussion.

"It's not my fault my side's too small! I don't have enough space on my side for my things!" Tommy shouted back voice raspy from yelling all day. He would definitely be needing some water after this, maybe he could treat himself with a refreshing can of coke a cola as he ignored ranboo for the rest of the day givein him the old silent treatment.

"My side's smaller! I gave up a few feet so you wouldn't complain about it later! Which you're doing it now anyways, so I don't know why I bothered!" Ranboo scoffed shaking his head as he tossed more of Tommy's things at him, his golden jewelry hitting the sides of his head as he made rough and quick movement with his arms. Picking up every book, pen or piece of trash tommy let leak onto his side of the room, tossing every item at tommy totally not trying to aim for his head.

"No! You started it! You're always complaining whenever one of my things even comes close to your perfectly clean side!" Tommy crossed his arms leaning on his bed frame, ducking when some golden object came full swing towards him shouting a loud 'Hey you almost hit me' ranboo stopping himself by biting his tongue when he had the urge to say 'I wish It did! Maybe your personality would change for the better if it hit hard enough' knowing that wouldn't do him any good favors, In all honesty tommy probably used that as a chance to attack him, though ranboo knew he could win the fight tommy was much shorter than him, probably could get a few kicks in though.

Ranboo turned and glared at tommy. "Maybe if you weren't as messy, I wouldn't have a big issue with it now." Ranboo humpfed turning back around continuing to toss tommys things around as if he were a husband who was outed for cheating not really caring if one of his things hit the ground to hard and broke.

Niki opened the door, spinning keys around in her fingers, leaning a hand on her waist. She looked a little disappointed maybe tired, possibly the mix of the two. "What are you two yelling about now, I'm getting complaints all the way from the east wing telling me to shut you two up." she huffed crossing her arms keys dangling to the side, the shiny color catching the light. She sighed upon seeing the mess that had consumed the room whole.

The two started shouting their sides of their story all at once jumbling all the words up into an incoherent ball of muck that Niki definitely couldn't understand no matter how many times she would ask the two to repeat what they said.

"Quiet! Quiet!" Niki shouted covering her ears. Sighing as the two glared at each other, both clamping their mouths shut knowing fair and well that it would be best to shut up and listen, -- well ranboo knowing that fact at least.

"You two need to get a long or you'll never work well with any team" she sighed again smiling sadly. Tommy thought she had too high of expectations for the two, I mean what part of their 'forced'
Friendship told her they were fit to be on a team together.

Tommy scoffed. "Like I would be in a team with him, of all people Niki?" Tommy motioned to ranboo looking him up and down. Seeing ranboo and all his notes he's drawn up on him the past few years, for example his horns that barely reached the ceiling If you startled him its possible they could go through the ceiling and he would have a drywall kabob on his head, or how his bomber jacket that just barely fit, mainly cus he was freakishly tall and thin, it reminded tommy or one of those earth devices the noodle man that dances outside of car washes and drug stores. Oh, and tommy couldn't forget the long claws on his nails that he had used more than once to scratch Tommy's face during another one of their fights.

Niki looked at tommy as if she was ready to rip tommy vocal cords from his throat and toss them into a blender, possibly make some new kind of pastries with them, maybe she could name it after a siren, or the little mermaid, something to do with voices or speech, or something completely different all together. Though, that probably wouldn't sell very well.

Tommy motioned his hands and backed away from the angry lady, falling onto his bed. Propping himself up with his elbows.

Niki pressed her thumb To her temple. "Ok, I came here to tell you to quiet down and." Niki sighed, smiling, "that I have a mission for you both" she looked at each of the two, and grin wiggling its way onto her face.

Ranboo sat up straight listening to what Niki had to say, tommy on the other hand was picking at his nails trying to get the dust that was attached to him off. Being on a mission with ranboo wasn't exactly appealing to him. Shouting over what temperature the ship had to be every hour, sharing another room and bathroom my he add, and having to deal with ranboo's excitement over one little mission.

"You two are going to go on a research mission-"

tommy grumbled. Of course, it was something easy and nerdy.
"To where? Preferably somewhere warm at least" he interrupted sighing dropping his hands to his sides. Niki shot him a warning stare again. Tommy raising his hands again backing off, mumbling an insult to himself.

"You two are going to go to a planet called aether. It has been on the syndicates radar for a while but today we are actually sending some people down there, you guys." She clicked her tongue and sighed.
"But! If I see you two fighting again I will take this mission from you and I will give it to Karl and quackity!" She pointed a finger at tommy them to ranboo. Ranboo nodded understanding, all while shooting tommy a glare.

"Ok, but what do we get out of it?" Tommy put his head in his palm and crossing his legs.

"You'll get 500 credits." Niki put her hand on her hip. "Do we have a deal, no more fighting until you leave and then you go to aether to do research?" She raised an eyebrow waiting for an answer.

Ranboo nodded quickly. "How long will we be there?" Ranboo smiled already excited for this mission. But who could blame him, the kid loved learning.

"About a month? That should give you two enough time to study the planet and its inhabitants" Niki smiled.

"A month with this idiot- am I in a nightmare." Tommy pinched himself wincing at the slight pain he caused himself. Groaning about how this was real, like really real and he would have to go on a research mission with ranboo. Of all people.

"Ok.. what do we know about them-" ranboo grabbed a notebook. "-like language wise?" Ranboo clicked open a pen ready to write something down.

"Nerds gonna try and learn the whole language isn't he" tommy mumbled, luckily Niki didn't hear him.

"I have no idea, that's why I'll be sending you to there, to find out more about them," Niki shrugged.

Ranboo sighed closing his notebook and pen, pushing it off his lap.

"So, we're just gonna go in there knowing nothing?" Ranboo sighed.

"Basically-" Niki heard a beep from her wristwatch, she turned it on reading something before turning back to the boys saying "Ok, I have to go, you two pack, you both take flight tomorrow"

Niki left the room. Tommy was about to say something when ranboo interrupted him. "Don't you dare ruin this for me, this is my first mission ever" ranboo glared at tommy.

Tommy's face scrunched up as he looked at ranboo, "Fine. But I'm captain of this mission, I've had experience with missions unlike you."

Ranboo scoffed. "And how did that work out? Didn't you nearly get shot or something, your captain dieing?"

Tommy's face shifted emotions remembering his old partner.
Wilbur, tommy was the reason he died.

He killed Wilbur one of his closest people in his life gone because he was scared, he was weak then.

His brother died because of him.

"Just because the last one was shit doesn't mean this one will end horribly; you can learn from your mistakes you know." Tommy huffed talking as if he knew a clue of what he was saying.

Ranboo nodded. Tommy watched at his dangly earrings reflected the lamp light.

"So, no fighting until we leave?" Ranboo smiled.

Tommy groaned. "That's gonna be impossible!" Tommy shouted. "You're so annoying and AH" ranboo threw a pillow at tommy hitting him directly in the gut. "Ow" he mumbled.

"No fighting remember!" Ranboo laughed holding a second pillow in the arm ready to throw it towards tommy with a decent amount of speed and of course perfect aim, right in the gut.

Tommy scoffed throwing the first pillow back after wiping his slimy hand over the fabric. Ranboo shouted before pushing the pillow off of him cringing as he pulled off the green goo that stuck to his skin.
He would be needing to toss the pillow in the wash, hopefully he remembered.

"You're lucky this stuff doesn't burn; I would have weird white splotches all over if they did" Ranboo wiped his hands onto tommys bed.

-----
Syndicate rule number 730: don't leave any comrade behind.

If you are in danger and a fellow comrade is in Trouble, it is advised not to leave them behind as it is a punishable offense against your contract to protect everyone who lives in the universe.

-----

Ranboo and tommy were putting their luggage into the plane, Niki had just wished them luck and told them their goodbyes. Ranboo was still bouncing off the walls with excitement asking all sorts of questions that tommy didn't have a single answer to. this was his first mission after all so tommy assumed this would be ranboo's natural reaction, it was basically the same as tummy's

Ranboo grunted as he helped Tommy pull his bag into the spaceship.

"What did you put in this?" Ranboo huffed as he held up the opposite end of the bag as tommy held the other.

"Books. Lots of books" tommy huffed, voice strained from the heavy weight.

"Why? You don't even read?!" Ranboo huffed before dropping the bag onto the loading bays floor.

Tommy laughed. Ranboo horns just barely missed the ceiling if he jumped up his horns would definitely do some damage.

"You're not the only nerd ranboo. How else did you think I got into the syndicate? Luck?" Tommy laughed as he walked pasted ranboo.

"I call driving!" Ranboo shouted he head a groan and a thud.

"That not far" tommy shouted into one of the bunk beds pillows.

"Yes it is tommy, I have more training than you" ranboo pressed a button lifting the ramp back into its respectful place before heading to the cockpit pacing back tommy on the way.

"How? You're in the dorm all day?" Tommy lifted his head so his voice was no longer muffled, and so he could actually look into the cockpit to make out ranboo's silhouette.

"I leave the dorm to do training tommy?" Ranboo chuckled.

"When though?" Tommy watched as ranboo clicked buttons and pulled on levers.

"Probably when you go to all your training. Like everyone else?" Ranboo shook his head.

Tommy hummed. "If I die tell techno he's a bitch and a pussy"

Ranboo scoffed. "I'm not telling techno, the imperial general that he is a bitch"

"And a pussy" tommy throw his hand in the air.

Ranboo shook his head.

"Neither of them."

Tommy soon fell asleep in the bunk as ranboo took off. When ranboo left the atmosphere of the syndicates base planet Adoni, there was some turbulence, but it wasn't rough enough to wake tommy.

Ranboo set course for aether and flicked on autopilot, he pulled his knees onto the seat resting his head in his knees as he looked out from the wind shield, the stars flickering by the window.

He heard a groan before a sleeping tommy plopped down into the co-pilot seat.

"You're driving sucks, it woke me up" Tommy huffed leaning his head back in the chair.

"Actually tommy, it's autopilot driving," ranboo smiled speaking a matter of factly.

Tommy scoffed. "Your still in the pilot seat."

Ranboo ignored him still watching the stars fly by.

"I can't see the stars" tommy huffed.

"What do you mean? There right there?"

"No, I mean like there flying by too fast, like static or some shit." Tommy motioned his hand around as he looked out the window.

Ranboo sat up dropping his feet back onto the floor as he pressed some buttons. The ship slowed,

Tommy looked at ranboo confused. "Won't it take us longer to get there now?" Tommy sat up to look at ranboo.

"We have plenty of time, just enjoy the view for now" ranboo smiled.

Tommy nodded, leaning back in his chair as he looked out the window.

The sight was beautiful to say the least, the different colors that mixed together in the background reflected into the cockpit making the room a soft purple color.

Who new small little bursts of energy and heat could be so beautiful?

Tommy and ranboo stared out into galaxy for a while, watching as bits of meteors and asteroids paced by them,

Tommy and ranboo only agreed on a few things one being that the other was the most annoying person in the universe, never dehydrate meat and well, the stars where the most beautiful thing the universe had to offer.

After about another twenty minutes or so ranboo put the ship back into hyperspace and let tommy pester him about his poor driving skills.

-

It had been about ten hours since the two had taken off from Adoni and ranboo and tommy were already arguing about the temperature of the ship.

"But it's too cold ranboo! I already feel the frost bit forming!" Tommy shouted crossing his arms mocking a shiver.

"Tommy it's not even 60 degrees in here if anything it's too hot!"

Tommy scoffed. "If you're so hot take a step outside the ship I'm sure it's a perfect temperature for you mr I need to be a whole ass ice cube to survive!" tommy huffed.

"Says you! I'm not living in Florida it doesn't need to be freaking 99 degrees in here every day!" Ranboo threw his hands up in the air still blocking the thermostat with his body.

"Just turn it up to 80! That all I need for my poor froggy fingers to not freeze and fall off"

Ranboo scoffed. "No!" Ranboo stayed put.

"Please!" tommy shouted drawing out his E's.

"No. Not if my life depended on it" ranboo snarled pulling his lips up to reveal a very sharp canine.

"What if my life depended on it?" Tommy huffed. Ranboo stared at tommy in disbelief.

"You're not actually doing this right now." Ranboo scoffed.

"Oh, I am!" Tommy crossed his arms blowing hair out of his face. "Do you not care about you best friend tommy?" Tommy bated his eye lashes.

Ranboo couldn't believe him right now,

"I can't- I won't let you turn the temp up! I'll die!" ranboo pressed his back up against the wall not letting tommy near the thermostat.

"Oh, stop with the drama" tommy scoffed.

"Says you!" Ranboo glared at tommy.

"Well that different because I am the drama" tommy rolled his eyes.

Ranboo pressed a thumb to his temple.

"You are the absolute worse"

"Can you please move I can turn up the thermostat turn the thermostat up?" Tommy huffed.

"No!"

"Not even if I got goo all over your shirt?" Tommy smiled an ass eating grin.

"Oh my God fine!" Ranboo moved out of the way glaring at tommy. "But if I get heat stroke I blame you"

Tommy rolled his eyes as he turned the dial. "Your just being dramatic."

After a few moments ranboo felt beats of sweat roll down his back stinging slightly as they traveled down his shirt.

------
Syndicate rule number 829:
Never lie to a higher rank.

Lying to your commanding officer or General is a punishable offense that can cause you 5 up to 10 years into the syndicate prison.

Lying to a higher rank can cost you and your other comrades lives to be in danger.

Being honest is likely going to end you in a lot less trouble than if you were to lie.
----

Ranboo you are getting ready to enter aether's atmosphere after nearly 10 hours of endless arguing with tommy.

Tommy was fast asleep beside ranboo in the copilot chair.

Reentry was not smooth to say the least, the ship shook as it got closer to the planet, it even woke tommy up him screaming "AH WE'RE FALLING WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE" before he realized what was happening and quieted down.

Ranboo tried to get a perfect landing, but it was difficult with all the trees and plants in the way, it was practically a jungle.

But ranboo pulled it off landing gently in an open area.

Ranboo quickly stood up and headed to the loading bay, abandoning tommy in the cockpit who was trying to catch his breathe.

Ranboo clicked a few buttons lower the ramp onto the orange and red plants below them.

Ranboo slowly stepped outside of the ship looking around as he did.

Tommy followed him, both of them were amazed by the sights, the trees, the plants, the buildings, both of them had never seen or heard anything like this.

"Wow" tommy whispered watching little bugs fly around them there abdomens glowing a bright blue.

"Tommy go get the sample case, I want to take some of this" ranboo looked over at tommy before looking back down to the ground, the plants were all mostly bright colors, from bright greens and yellows to iridescent blues. If you looked at it to long you would surely get a headache.

Tommy nodded heading back into the ship grabbing a white case with the imperial logo on it.

"Here you are" tommy mumbled still looking around amazed. The leaves of each tree was a different shade of red, orange and yellow creating the fiery colors.

Ranboo used tweezers to grab a few samples of each plant that was nearby not yet ready for what might lurk in the woods a head of them, taking it safe and just plucking a few pedals from flowers and leaves from all sorts of plants prickly or fuzzy, or even a mix of the two.

Tommy on the other hand, he had already started to wonder towards it following a small blue creature that would appear then disappear, popping up few feet ahead of where it used to be.

Eventually tommy found himself underneath one of the large ruins that him and ranboo saw from the ship, only it was much bigger,

Tommy lost sight of the creature, moving on from it to the monument, amazed by its detail. Tommy could tell it was a sculpture of a large animal, and if it wasn't the locals loved it enough to build a statue that reached higher than the treetops for it.

Tommy rested a hand on the stone feeling the cold material under his fingers.

Tommy ultimately regretted touching the statue as when he pulled his hand away he left a sticky green residue behind.
Tommy cringed at it, he really shouldn't be touching ancient ruins now should he.

Tommy heard a Rustling sound in the bushes next to him, he wiped his head towards it.
"Hello?" Tommy whispered inching closer to it.

Suddenly tommy was tackled to the ground.

-

Ranboo was setting the glass vials and containers back into the case when he heard tommy shouting. He was running towards ranboo as he carried something rather large in his arms.

"Ranboo! I caught a local!" Tommy laughed as he ran up the ramp with a PERSON in his arms.

Ranboo paused, standing up confused and possibly in shock.

"How that hell-" ranboo started reaching forwards.

Tommy smiled. "Well, he tried to attack me, and I may have or may have not accidentally knocked him out with a rock"

Tommy gently set the stranger down.

"I hope you know that you're an idiot." ranboo huffed pushing Tommy inside the ship.

Once the two- three were all inside the ship ranboo closed the door.

"What are we gonna do when he wakes up?" Tommy stared at the stranger who was now lying in ranboo's bunk.

"If." Ranboo corrected. "If the stranger you hit with a rock wakes up" ranboo huffed. "He could have a Concussion or worse a brain bleed!" Ranboo spoke with venom, clearly upset with tommy.

"Hey, it was for science." tommy shrugged.

"You could of killed someone!" Ranboo shouted.

"Yeah. so? Your point is' what?" Tommy hummed.

"How did they let you in the syndicate." Ranboo mumbled mostly to himself than tommy.

"Because I, tommy big man innit am awesome-"

"And stupid." ranboo raised his hand, adding on to what tommy was saying.

"Hey!" Just as tommy shouted the stranger shifted places and started to wake up.

"Well, he's alive at least." tommy smiled earning a slap on the back of the head from dear ranboo.

"Shut up your gonna scare him." Just as ranboo said that the Stranger practically flew out of the bed tackling ranboo to the ground having a knife to his throat.

"Woah, woah, careful now danger," tommy spoke softly hands in the air showing he was unarmed.

The stranger glared at him and spoke in some foreign language.

Tommy hummed. "I have no clue what you're Saying but If you could let go of the nice man, who help save you, I would appreciate it."

The stranger looked down at ranboo who was praying something in enderian, probably something along the lines 'Please don't kill me.' Over and over again judging by the repeat of sounds.

The stranger dropped the knife but still held his hand onto ranboo's throat choking him while he still sat on ranboos torso.

"Okay, ok, please don't kill him, he only wanted to help you not hurt you" Tommy winced as ranboo coughed. "This" tommy pointed to his head and then at the stranger. "That was my fault not his."

He looked back at ranboo. Huffing and standing up, picking his knife back up before sitting in the corner of the room.

Ranboo sat up fingerings over where the stranger had grabbed him as he caught his breath.

"Jesus Christ." He whispered.

Tommy bent down next to tubbo.

"Can you understand a word of what I'm saying."

The strange alien person turned away from tommy.

"I don't think he likes you" ranboo laughed, his voice still pained.

"Oh really? What makes you say that?" Tommy snickered.

Ranboo shook his head. Tommy continued pestering the stranger asking him questions but still not giving him a clear answer.

"Will you leave him alone?" Ranboo huffed.

Tommy stood up and walked away. "Fine, you try"

Ranboo nodded before sitting in front of the stranger.

Ranboo smiled at him. "Hey." He whispered. The stranger looked up at him,

"I know you're probably freaking out; I can't imagine being in your situation right now." Ranboo huffed leaning his head on his arm that was rested on his knee.

"But maybe I can help calm you down?" Ranboos voice cracked, he wasn't good at emotions why was he trying to comfort someone.

"My name's ranboo by the way. Uh." ranboo looked outside one of the many windows Watching as a strange bird flew by.

The Stranger smiled.

"I have no idea if you can understand me." Ranboo mumbled just talking to himself at this point.

"But if you do.. if you could tell me about yourself that would be amazing" ranboo looked back at the stranger.

"Tubbo." he mumbled.

"What's that?" Ranboo smiled.

"Tubbo? My name." tubbo, smiled.

"Hello tubbo" ranboo smiled. "I'm sorry about him by the way." Ranboo chuckled. "He's a bit of an ass sometimes" ranboo whispered.

"Hey! I heard that!" Tommy shouted from across the room, he was reading whatever book he had found inside the cockpit.

Tubbo frowned. "He's mean."

Ranboo nodded. "Sometimes, but he's also a sweetheart if wants to be." ranboo said loud enough for tommy to hear. Tommy scoffed.

"In your dreams boob boy!"

Ranboo shook his head.

"I live with that guy" ranboo laughed.

Tubbo smiled.

Tubbo talked to ranboo for away, well more like ranboo talk to tubbo and then tubbo would laugh or smile.

Ranboo eventually asked tubbo what he thought of the whole thing.

"It's warmer in here" tubbo ruffled his wings, which looked more insect like than bird ranboo had seen.
"Darker too" tubbo smiled a nodded. " nice. Not so scary anymore." He smiled.

Ranboo smiled. "I'm glad. Hopefully tommy doesn't scare you anymore then he already has" ranboo glared at tommy from where he was. Tommy paying him no mind as he kept reading.

"I like you better. You're quieter" tubbo smiled.

Tommy scoffed. "Of course, you do, everyone loves ranboo! With his perfect posture, his perfect hair, his perfect personality, his perfect face!" Tommy shouted from the cockpit Cleary in a bad mood. He probably fell out of his bed this morning.

Ranboo scoffed. "Hey that's not far, plenty of people like you"

"Yeah, people who are like me. Who are sticky and 'gross' like Charlie, or Wilbur and his random snail collection." Tommy slumped down in the chair,

"Hey! No! I like you, just cus we fight all the time doesn't mean I inherited hate you." ranboo huffed.

Tubbo watched and studied ranboos face as the two responses back and forth with each other.

Tommy scoffed. "Yeah right you're just saying that, trying to make me g
Feel better of some shit but I'm not some alien for another planet you can make feel better by your nice perfect words"

Ranboo didn't know how to react to be honest. He again, wasn't good with emotions.

"Tommy you know I'm not always perfect." Ranboo frowned.

Tubbo was interested in watching this who thong play out, it was like some drama show you would find on Netflix. All he needed was some popcorn to add to the effect.

Tommy scoffed shaking his head despite knowing ranboo couldn't see him. "Yeah right"

"Tommy. You are really stupid sometimes" ranboo laughed.

Tommy brought his hands to his ears. "I know that!" Tommy huffed

"That probably wasn't the best thing to say" tubbo mumbled.

Ranboo huffed and shook his head.

"I can't drink water tommy! I can't take showers, I can't wash dishes I can't do anything, because my species is allergic to water. I have to drink this kind of fruit juice, so I don't get dehydrated" ranboo shook his head. "What's so perfect about that?"

Tommy was silent.

"Oh, and I've failed the flight test five times in a row by the way I only pasted it last year." Ranboo chuckled.

Tommy hummed. "So, what, you failed boo hoo. At least you can hug you family and friends without them calling you gross or disgusting.

Tommy lifted his hand off his arm Watching as a glop of slime followed his hand up into the air.

"Tommy your all I have left. All my friends and family died on my planet."

Tommy hummed.

Tubbo started to feel like he was intruding on something he shouldn't of been.

the long awkward silence lasted for a while.
-----
Syndicate rule number 371:
Never talk about missions with strangers.

Talking about syndicate top secret mission not only classifies you as a trader but also gets you up to 20 to 50 years in the syndicates federal prison.

----

It was night now. Tubbo had fallen asleep on the floor so ranboo moved him into his bed so he would be more comfortable.

But now ranboo was on the ships roof looking up at the clear sky. Just as a meteor flew by the latch that lead the loading bay to the roof opened a tired tommy climbing up the latter most definitely leaving a trail of green goo he would have to deal with AND clean later.

Ranboo said nothing at tommy sat next to him. The two just staring up at the sky together.

"It look some much better up there than it does down here" ranboo whispered.

Tommy nodded.

"About either when I said all that I just wanted you to know I didn't mean it-"

Ranboo interrupted him. "It's alright I forgive you" ranboo brought his legs closer to his chest.

Tommy sighed as he looked out into the distant. He smiled as something caught his eye.

"C'mon I wanna show you something" tommy offered a hand to ranboo.

"But what about tubbo?" Ranboo asked looking towards the latch. "I can't just leave him"

"He's sleeping" tommy waved him off. "He's fine I promise, it's not like this isn't his home planet." Tommy smiled.

Ranboo took Tommy's hand cringing at the feeling of slime in-between it fingers.

Tommy stood up and pulled ranboo toward the ships wings sliding down the side of the shop as if it were a slide at an amusement park.

Ranboo smiled as tommy ran towards the woods.

Tommy took him to the ruin he had seen before, only this time some of the engraved letters of the foreign language glowed a faint teal color.

Ranboo awed at the sight, the small yellow flowers tucked underneath the structures rocks catching his eye.

Tommy followed his gaze picking one out of the grass.

Ranboo gasped. "What are you doing tommy? You can't just pick the plants out of the ground you're killing them."

"It's fine, you're just keeping it safe until we can put it into the sample case, for science" tommy smiled tucking the flower behind ranboos ear.

Ranboo smiled. "Thank you,"

Tommy nodded siting in the grass looking up at the sky.

"You're right. It does look better up there than down here" he mumbled as ranboo sits down next to him.

Ranboo smiled. "We can see one of my favorite stars at least".

Tommy looked at ranboo. "And which on is that?"

Ranboo smiled brightly, "Sirius, it's the brightest star, you can see it from all the way for Adoni from here."

Tommy nodded. "I like the pink one. Reminds me of my brother but I always forget what it called, had numbers and stuff in it" tommy looked up at the sky smiling at the small faint pink star.

"Gliese 504 b?" Ranboo leaned his elbow and head on his knee.

"Yeah! That's the one" tommy smiled.

"That a planet dude."

Tommy scoffed. "I knew that"

"Sure. I believe you" ranboo smiled. Tommy elbowed him in the ribs.

---

The next day tommy and tubbo are in a staring contest, tommy is trying to figure out as much as he can about tubbo by just staring at him and tubbo is just trying to make tommy uncomfortable, so he'll leave him alone.

Tommy noted that tubbo had a set of antennae in the center of his head and had a pair of insects like winging behind him that he would occasionally beat behind him.

Tommy also took note on how much yellow tubbo wore, the jumper he had on not only made him look like a stay-at-home mom but made him look quite bee like with its yellow and black stripes.

While tommy was staring at tubbo ranboo had made a small fire outside and was cooking some of the plants that tubbo said were ok eat. (Tommy suggested that maybe tubbo was lying and was trying to get them killed, but ranboo didn't believe him)

Ranboo had finished cooking the exotic mushroom and was walking towards the two.

"Will you two stop interrogating each other with your eyes." Ranboo laughed. "Here" he handed a plate to each of them, setting his own Infront of him.

"What the fuck is this?" Tommy poked at the pink plant Infront of him, picking off the chard bits from the sides.

"Food, eat it" ranboo mumbled, voice muffled while he put a piece of the mystery food in his mouth.

Tubbo looked at ranboo for moment. Ranboo turned towards him and raised an eyebrow. "You two are weird" he mumbled before eating his own plate discarding his fork onto the floor.

"Tommy's the weird one" ranboo laughed eating some more of his food.

"Hey! No, you're the weird one!" Tommy shouted nearly choking on the food he had in his mouth.

"Oh no" tubbo mumbled.

Tommy and ranboo had gone into a shouting match arguing about who was weirder and what they did to earn that title. Tommy having more traits to make him the 'weird' one out of the two. But if tubbo was with you he would tell you they equally were weird.

-------
Syndicate rule number 205:
Never fight a battle you can't win.
Breaking Formation or going off on your own to fight a UKC or an unknown creature is a punishable offense if you. Make it out alive.
You risk you whole team or squadron by breaking protocol.
-----
Ranboo was talking to tommy asking what the two of them shout do with tubbo, it has been a week since tommy rudely abducted tubbo, ranboo still called it kidnapping because he didn't just suck him up through a weird blue light he just picked him off the ground and ran.

Maybe they should let him go? That would be the right thing to do. He's not some rabbit that there testing shampoo products on.

But then again, what if they let tubbo go and he comes back with more people getting them both killed.

Ranboo bit through his nail causing himself to bleed when tommy said that.

"I mean we could let him go and then follow him back to wherever he came from, figure more out about his people?" Ranboo looked over at the sleeping tubbo as he spoke.

"So, you're saying we use him?" Ranboos stomach flipped. Was that what they would be doing?

Tommy shrugged. "We could just ask him. See if there's any city's or towns he is willing to take them too.

"That probably would be the safer option, he probably would kill us if he found out we were using him.

Tommy nodded. "So, it's settled?"

Ranboo nodded hesitatingly.

Tommy stood up and started walking towards tubbo.

"Shouldn't we think this through more? What if he thinks we're using him for information?" Ranboo stood up and caught up to Tommy.

"Any of our plan ideas could make him think that" tommy laughed.

Ranboo nodded crossing his arms.

Tommy shook tubbos shoulder. "Hey! Bee boy wake up!" Tommy shouted causing the shorter to jolt forwards knocking heads with tommy.

"Jesus Christ man!" Tommy shouted rubbing his forehead.

Tubbo mumbled an apology and asked what he wanted.

"May you please take us to one of your planet's city or town, something with more people" tommy winced, did that even make since?

Tubbo thought for a while.
"What do I get out of it"

greed, that's what tommy ad tubbo had in common.

"I'll let tommy ad you drive the ship for a bit" ranboo offered. "As long as you don't crash it of course" he continued on.

Tommy nodded towards tubbo esthetically.

Tubbo nodded smiling. "Deal. But you two are gonna have to... uh. Change?" Tubbo cringed he knew that was the wrong word, but he didn't know what word he was meant to use.

"How so? Like clothes?" Tommy looked down at his syndicate bomber jacket and black jeans.

"Uh everything?" Tubbo winced. "My people don't like outsiders at all" tubbo confirmed. "So, your gonna have to change your weird clothes" tubbo sighed. "And your gonna have to let me do all the talking" tubbo glared at tommy who put his hands up in defense.

"Do we even have any more clothes?" Ranboo looked towards tommy.

"Uh I don't think so."

Tubbo huffed. "Just take your jackets off, it's gonna he hot in town anyways"

Tommy and ranboo discarded their jacket in the cockpit before following tubbo outside of the ship,

It was hot outside, like really hot, the insects where all buzzing in the trees while the three walked through the woods. Ranboo was already starting to feel the heat get to him, why couldn't aether be an artic planet? Something colder? Be regardless ranboo ignored it and continued walking behind tommy and tubbo.

When they found them self on the edge of the woods tubbo paused. "Ok here are the rules so you don't find yourself killed" tubbo sighed speaking as clearly as he could.

"No talking to the locals without me there to translate, no eating anything that they give you, do not mention that you're not from aether." Tubbo counted on his first set of fingers. "Is that clear" tubbo eyed tommy.

Tommy put his hand up in the air. "I didn't do nothing" he protested.

"He's likely to be the first one kill isn't he" ranboo laughed.
Rubbo nodded agreeing.

"Hey! No, I will not die" tommy rolled his eyes before tubbo walked them into town.

The buildings were tall and wife, windows in all different shapes and sizes, the structures were nothing like ranboo and tommy had ever seen before, but that made sense this whole planet was different than anything and everything they had ever seen.

Tubbo lead them to a building that reminded the two of a beehives.

"I'm gonna just let my mum know that I'm safe, you too will say nothing ok" tubbo warned tommy who was spinning around in a cycle admiring all the lights that floated and glowed above them.

"Got it" tommy threw him a thumbs up still distracted.

Tubbo started walking inside the building, and ranboo was about to leave tommy behind but he decided against it and pulled him into the building by his shirt collar.

They followed tubbo up the stairs until they got to the 5th floor, he turned and knocked on a door that had some letters? Numbers? It was some kind of Aetherian language ok the door.

A short woman who looked just about the same as tubbo with her dark brown hair a green eyes, and the distinctive extra limbs that they both had,

The woman greeted tubbo and pulled him into a tight hug. She peppered small kisses on him cheeks before bringing her antenna to tubbos,

Ranboo watched as the whole greeting played out. What this the Aetherian's usual greeting? Or was this just a mom thing?

Tubbo smiled and spoke the same language she had before, most likely apologizing for how long he had been gone.

She shaped his shoulder and scolded him, tubbo chuckled nervously before looking over at ranboo and tommy saying something neither of the two understood.

Tommy itched at the back of his neck, were they intruding?
Probably.

Tubbo hugged his mother before turning to ranboo and tommy and saying something they both again didn't understand.

His mom nodded.

"So, you two are the ones who took my abeille away from me." She huffed, crossing her arms as she looked at the two judging them.

"Yes?" Tommy mumbled.

Tubbo sighed and motioned for them to come into the apartment.

Ranboo sat on the floor next to tommy.

Tubbo sat on the couch behind them, tubbos mom sat in the rocking chair in front of them all.

"So. What brings you to town?" She asked pushing a pair of glasses onto her nose.

Ranboo ad tommy looked at each other.

"Uh y'know the usual, work stuff" tommy cleared his throat.

She hummed. "What kind of work?" She raised an eyebrow.

Ranboo smiled nervously, "environmental safety, water quality and things like that" ranboo spoke quickly, it took tommy a minute to comprehend what ranboo had said.

"Ah I see, we've been getting a few of you guys." She hummed looking at ranboo for a moment. "Are you alright?" She asked.

"Me" ranboo pointed to his chest.

"Yes you, you look a little pale?" She looked over ranboos face,

Tommy looked at ranboo, he was a little bit of an ashy color wasn't he?

"Uh yeah, just not used to the heat" he cleared his throat.

Tubbos mother hummed. "I see, you want some water?" She asked standing up heading towards the kitchen.

"Uh I can't drink water, I'm allergic?" Ranboo held his arms close to his chest.

"Oh well that's no good jambes," she stood in the doorway, "something to cool you off? I have some frozen juice?" She offered.

"No, I'll be fine" ranboo smiles.

"Ok then," she smiled siting back in her chair, asking an occasionally question and just having a comfortable conversation.

Eventually tubbo told her he wanted to show the two around town, she nodded turning to the two.

"You keep my abeille safe got it" she smiled at ranboo, "and you take it easy"

Ranboo nodded and slightly bowed down. "Yes ma'am," he smiled.

As they were walking away tommy snickered. "Polite bastard" he mumbled.

He wacked tommys back causing him to shout "HEY!" He caused a few people to turn their heads staring at the two.

Tommy waved at an old man you was giving him a stink eye.

Tubbo slaped tommys shoulder saying something in his mother tongue.

"You're gonna have to teach me some of your language, it's so unique" ranboo leaned down and whispered. Tubbo smiled and nodded.

"Only if you teach me yours."

Ranboo laughed. "Mines so hard to learn if you're not a native speaker though" he smiled.

Tommy mocked there words with hand puppets behind them.

"I'm sure I can learn, you seem like a good teacher"

Ranboo blushed a little embarrassed, "maybe" he smiled.

Tommy mocked a gag.

Tubbo glared at tommy, who again put his hands in the air.

------

Tubbo had took them through a few shops showing them different pastries shops and clothing stores, he ended up getting a new shirt for tommy because he ended up getting red jelly on his old one.

The three were now in a field that was full of the flowers from before.

Tubbo had picked one from the ground and tucked it behind ranboo's hair.

"Yellow roses suits you" He smiled.

Tommy glared at tubbo. He wanted to vomit this whole ordeal of ranboo and tubbo subtlety flirting with each other was more disgusting than his toad goo.

"Will you stop flirting and just watch the stars" tommy huffed crossing his arm. Leaning back into the red plants behind him.

The small blue bugs from earlier flew out from under him, giving off a slight blue hue as they flew by.

"We're not flirting tommy?!" Ranboo shouted voice high pitched and faint purple blush coating his ears and nose.

"Sure, seems like it" tommy moved his arms behind his head crossing them, admiring the star that stuck out of the night sky the most, Sirius was it?

"I'm not flirting with tubbo" ranboo scoffed. "We're not flirting right?" Ranboo turned to tubbo.

"No! No, We're not!" Tubbo laughed embarrassed.

Tommy clicked his tongue, "sure seems like you're flirting" tommy smirked as he watched the two get more and more embarrassed as tommy pestered them about it.

"You were 100% flirting just then!" Tommy laughed.

Ranboo glared at tommy. "No! I wasn't! Why is it such a big deal anyways? You jealous or something?" Ranboo huffed.

Tommy shook his head. "No honestly I'm annoyed, my 'best' friend is spending more time with some alien with four arms instead of me" tommy grumbled.

Ranboo laughed. "You're jealous! You literally just told me how it feels to be jealous with the word 'I'm' in front of it, meaning you, are jealous"

Tommy scoffed. "Am not"

"Are to!" Ranboo crossed his arms hovering about tommy as he smiled and laughed.

"I'm not!" Tommy growled.

"You two are ridiculous" tubbo mumbled while rolling his eyes leaning back onto the grass looking up at the sky.

"You are so jealous Tommy, just admit it" ranboo smirked.

Tommy huffed. "No!"

"Yes!" Ranboo mocked Tommy voice.

"I hate you!" Tommy shouted while laughing.

"Lier" ranboo smiled.

Tommy reached up and grabbed ranboo shoulder letting go of him seconds later to leave a layer of green slime on his skin.

"Hey! That was uncalled for" ranboo humpfted before lying on the ground next to tommy.
"Your insufferable you know that" ranboo looked over at tommy.

Tommy laughed.
-------
Syndicate rule number 620:
Never give your enemy an advantage.

By giving your enemy an upper hand you not only In danger yourself but others, if you manage to survive you will not be charged but your combat license will be flawed as a death risk and possibly could be terminated.
------
The three were back at the ship, only it felt strange, like something was out of place, or lots of somethings for that matter.

Ranboo slowly walked to the cockpit leaving the two behind at the entrance.

Ranboo picked up him bomber and put it on grabbing tommys and tossing it to him.

Something wasn't right, there was a draft coming from somewhere just the three couldn't pinpoint where.

There was nowhere someone could of hid? So why did I feel so of in here.

"I think you both are just being paranoid," tubbo shrugged plopping down onto ranboos bunk, which he had claimed as his own.

"I dunno. It just feels like there's something missing. Or out of place" tommy went to the cockpit checking to make sure at the electronics in there where still intact.

Ranboo climbed the later up to the roof checking to see if someone was hide up there, but no one.

"This is weird," ranboo felt like he was getting a headache. He put his hands up to his ears when he started to hear a high-pitched ringing.

"Ah, Jesus Christ" ranboo mumbled and he swayed a little.

Tubbo looked up at him confused. "You alright?" Tubbo asked quick to his feet when ranboo started to fall.

Tubbo caught him perfect timing. He shouted out tommys name telling him to get over here and how ranboo just fell from some unknown reason.

Tommy leaned down next to ranboo.

"What's happening -Ew-" tommy had gotten goo on ranboos arm, which was catching his attention more than the fact he just collapsed.

"Ranboo you just fell and you're worried about my slime?" Tommy scoffed and rolled his eyes.

Ranboo sat up. "Oh." Ranboo cleared his throat. "I'll be fine," ranboo shrugged.

"You don't seem fine" tommy huffed watching as ranboo stood up leaning on tommy for support when he nearly fell. Again.

"I will be, this happens sometimes" ranboo cleared his throat again, wiping his arms and clothes of as he walked to his bunk, [it was not Tubbo's despite ranboo giving in and telling him it was.]

"How often?" Tommy sat next to ranboo worried. ranboo just stared at him.

"It only happens when I'm too hot of I'm starting to get a little sick, why?" Ranboo scrunched up his nose.

"Because believe it or not ranboo I actually care about you, even if I make you think I hate you sometimes" tommy sighed and crossed his arms.
"You're taking a break, for a while, your gonna cool of and get hydrated with that fruit juice thing, and you're gonna get better"

Ranboo rolled his eyes.

"I'm glad that you care but I'm not taking a break we have a job to do-" tommy interrupted him by putting his hand in the air.

"I'll braid your hair?" Tommy offered.

"Why was that your offer" ranboo laughed.

"Well, I used to braid my older brothers hair, it helped him calm down or just think." Tommy shrugged. "And plus, your hairs long enough for it."

Ranboo thought for moment. "Fine, but I'm only resting for a few days, no longer than a week" ranboo huffed.

Tommy nodded motioning for ranboo to sit in front of him, he slipped on a pair of fabric gloves as not to get ranboos hair sticky or tangled, ranboo sat in front tommy facing the same direction as tommy. he took his hair out of a ponytail letting it fall onto his shoulders and in front of his face, if he was gonna be honest it was a mess that's why he never kept it down.

Tommy leaned to the side and gently took the hair in front of ranboos eyes and moved them towards the other part.

Tommy began to braid the hair on the sides of ranboos hair before bringing all tree parts to the back, creating a French braid.

Tommy admired his work for minute while he tucked the extra strands of hair behind ranboo ears and under the braids.

"There," tommy smiled. While ranboo stood up to find a mirror to look at tommys creation. Tommy slipped off his gloves and walked towards the thermostat turning it down a few notches. Tommy knew he would be cold but that's nothing a few blankets couldn't fix.

-----
Syndicate rule number 942:
Never talk back to a higher rank.

To question or to resist a higher rankings orders is a punishable offense that will result in you wither being fired or demoted and possibly even taken into custody.

-----

Ranboo was bored out of his mind. He was sat in the middle of the loading bay staring up at the ceiling. He had been doing this all day. Just lying there, staring, it was quite boring honestly. There was nothing new about the metal ceiling that tommy had apparently painted white with Wilbur.

Actually, all the modifications on this ship including the newer tech put in the cockpit for navigation was made by Wilbur, tommy just took credit for handing his brother tools.

Ranboo hummed as tommy walked closer to him. He was surrounded by at least three large blankets but was still shivering. Tommy leaned over ranboo glaring at him.

"The things I deal with for you" He huffed, pulling his arms around himself tighter.

"What's that supposed to mean" ranboo scolded and rolled his eyes.

Tommy didn't answer but sat down next to ranboo. "I still don't understand why people like you, ranboo beloved." Tommy mocked ranboos last name, rolling his eyes and scoffing. "You're so.. so." Tommy humpfed trying to think of a new comeback that easing 'you're annoying' or 'you're too perfect'

But nothing came to mind, was there really anything to hate about ranboo? Surfing there was something? He could actually be perfect. There was something wrong with him. Tommy just hadn't found what it was exactly yet.

Ranboo smiled. "Couldn't think of anything" ranboo laughed at the blonds attempt to insult him. Maybe he ran out of gas and would finally start not hating him as much.

"Shut up" Tommy grumbled pulling the blankets tighter around himself. He shivered slightly his body shaking slightly. "I'm cold, and I don't wanna be" tommy huffed.

Ranboo sat up. "You can turn the temp up? I'm not sick anymore, I've drank the chorus fruit juice." Ranboo offered, he looked worried? Why was he worried big man tommy innit could handle himself.

"No, no, you still have a few days left of your break" tommy smiled softly.

"But you're gonna get sick" ranboo huffed. Looking towards the thermostat.

"So, what, at least you won't be" tommy shrugged not really caring about himself in the moment, Wilbur would be proud, he always said that the younger would be to stubborn and selfish to help anyone if that meant his suffering.

"Tommy, you don't have to put your heath below mine, you are just as important as me" ranboo stood up to go turn the thermostat up.

Tommy grabbed ranboos hand pulling him back towards him, ranboo still standing looked at tommy confused before looking at the thermostat and then back at him

"No, I'm not," tommy said plainly, no lie in his voice, no sadness, no anger, it was just bland. He was serious.

"Tommy. Don't say that" ranboo let go of tommys hand cringing at the green goo that followed his hand. You'd thing tommy would be used to this behavior, but it still hurt him every time some had called him gross or had winced when he left a bit of slime on a table or chair. It wasn't like he could help it; it was just the way his species was.

Ranboo sat down next to tommy. Tommy looked away.

Ranboo sighed. "Tommy you matter ok. You are important, people love and care about you" ranboo smiled.

Tommy looked back at ranboo; a single tear trailed down the side of his face before he wiped it away.

"Who. No one says it, no one tells me" Tommy's voice cracked as he looked at his fingers, he was picking at his nails, they once again had bits of debris stuck to them.

"I do tommy, tubbo does, just because we don't say it doesn't mean we don't, did Wilbur ever say it?" Ranboo questioned, regretting it the moment he said it, it was still a sore subject for tommy.

Tommy looked up at ranboo and frowned. "I need people to say it. Because how would I know if it's true or not" tommy whispered. Tommy pulled the blankets closer to him. ranboo smiled sadly.

"I love you tommy," ranboo took each one of tommys hands holding one to each of their hearts. "As long as I am alive I will love you. You're the best person I've ever met tommy. Just because we fight and argue all the time doesn't mean I don't love you" ranboo smiled sadly again.

Tommy let a few more tears fall, he hiccupped as he wiped them away. "Thank you ranboo, I love you too"

Ranboo brought tommy to his chest. Holding him close, maybe even too close but ranboo wanted tommy to know that ranboo wasn't gonna leave him, and that his best and most likely only friend ever before tubbo, loved him.

--
Syndicate rule number 185: fight for your team, leave no one behind.

Loyalty to your comrades makes you stronger, if someone attacks, attack back.
----

Tubbo shouted from outside of the ship, catching Tommy's and ranboo's attention. They shared a look before standing up and heading towards the tommy lifted his blankets on the ground before following ranboo up the latter.

"What's going on?" Tommy asked as he climbed up to the roof, ranboo and tubbo were looking up at the sky, tommy followed their eyes as he stood next to them.

"Shit, that's- not good" Tommy's voice cracked upon seeing about 10 fighter jets headed their direction.

"Got any guns" tubbo asks looking at tommy, him and ranboo had matching worries.

"Uh yes -er- well, not enough to take these guys down" tommy chuckled nervously as the jets picked up speed. God these guys where professional, like actually solders not some trainees going to a faraway planet.

"Think we can hide fast enough?" Ranboo looked back and forth between the two cocking an eyebrow.

"Probably not. But we can try" tommy mumbled sighing. "Well, it was nice noting y'all, if we all died I want you to know you guys aren't as annoying as I say" tommy nodded and headed to the latter not bothering to climb down but instead jumping down he headed to the loading deck quickly shouting the ramp.

Ranboo and tubbo headed down the latter soon after complaining about the green goo tommy left on the steps.
Tommy rolled his eyes as ranboo slammed the latch shut.

Tommy tossed a blaster to tubbo. "Here, hope you know how to use it." Tommy smiled sadly. Crossing his arms before saying, "Don't die alright." Tubbo nodded, fingering around the trigger.

"I won't. I just pull on this right" tubbo pointed the gun towards tommy. Tommy moved away quickly with a loud scream.

"Yes! But don't point it at me," tommy huffed.

Tubbo laughed and pointed the blaster towards the ground.
Ranboo taped tommy on the back. "Got a gun for me?" He smiled. Tommy picked one out from the holder.

"Here. Don't die either will yuh?" Tommy laughed picking up his own blaster.

As they all prepared themselves for what was coming they finally heard the jets touch down, lots loud footsteps outside of the ship.

The three stayed quiet waiting for the strangers first move.

Few minutes later there was a bright red Lazer cutting through the loading bays door.

"So much for flying out of here" tommy sighed.

When the circular part of the door fell a person dressed in a black battle suit was in sight pointing a Lazer at the three slowly moving it back and forth between them all.

"Come with up and we won't shoot" a rough and muffled voice spoke, the soldier holding the blaster tightly.

The three looked at each other and nodded, dropping their guns, and walking towards the soldier.

They were lead to separate jets, shoved in the back seat roughly, the three didn't see each other until they landed on some large mother ship in the middle of outer space, but before they got there the ride was silent, for tubbo and ranboo anyways, well. No ranboo was the only one silent, tommy was trying the chat with the man flying the jet but all he would get was a groan or a huff of annoyance, but tommy kept talking maybe hoping if he got sick of him he would decide keeping him prisoner wouldn't be a wise idea and he would turn around leaving Tommy back on aether unharmed. Foolish If I had any say. They would leave him back on the planet if anything his plan would get him killed! But that was beside the point, tommy was being his usual annoying self as tubbo did the same.

Well mostly the same, tubbo had a different strategy and a different driver, this one wanted to speck to tubbo, she would ask tubbo all sorts of questions like how he meet tommy and ranboo, but only referring to the two as the 'two imperial guards' tubbo only ushered an insult in Aetherian, calling the woman all sorts of name none of which I could repeat for the names were too harsh, to put it simply, tubbo only spoke to the girl in his mother tongue ignoring her when she told him to speak English. Tubbo smiled and would laugh under his breathe when she would get frustrated and speed the jet up.

Yeah, maybe tubbo and tommy were being stupid taunting and annoying their captures but at least they weren't giving then the silent treatment like ranboo was.

Ranboo just stared. Stared out the window watching as the stars flew by quickly, maybe not as fast as TV static but enough to were ranboo couldn't get a good look at each individual one. The flyer would occasionally Glace over to ranboo, curiosity one someone young could have filled in his eyes and he would ask questions on what alien species he was, or what he thought of the whole kidnapping thing, ranboo only stared out the window. The young man huffing, followed by a sigh saying "you know, if you talked I could figure something out with my boss... maybe you wouldn't be in solitary like the rest of them"
Ranboo eyed the man carefully after that, them? Who was them?

Ranboo ignored it and nodded answering the boys questions, venom traced in his words, clearly annoyed with the other.

And sure, enough when the three where all pulled from the jets and headed to what ranboo assumed was the jail or prison, he spotted the young man talking to scruffy looking man, he nodded at something the younger had whispered to him.

Ranboo hoped the man was telling the truth. He didn't know what he would do if he was alone for hours, speaking to nothing but himself, imagining nothing but his own fantasy, traveling all the way to Neptune, maybe Uranus, one of the many cold planet's in earth's galaxy, though ranboo probably wouldn't mind visiting one of the galaxies warm planet's, it did have lot to offer after all. Ranboo wanted to chart the stars, he wanted to create maps of space so many space travelers after him could experience the same thrill that was to fly through a meteor shower or a solar flare. But ranboo could do that, not behind bars anyways.

Ranboo was shoved into a small room breaking him out of his thought, taking in the surrounding, walls painted a bright white that was quite blinding if he looked for too long.

Ranboo looked around, there was a small bed- or more like a mattress rested on the floor in the corner of the small room. Ranboo looked up at the ceiling seeing two light bulbs covered by a thick plastic that ranboo assumed was bullet proof or at least hard to break through, though ranboo couldn't things of a way or reason someone would use a light bulb -of all things- to break out of here, surly someone would opt to use the sheets on the Mattress to slowly bend the bars that protected someone from punching a hole into the door.

Ranboo sighed. Pulling his knees towards his chest resting his head onto his knees. Ranboo wondered if he put too much Fath into the flyer who had only know him a few hours before hand.

Ranboo closed his eyes as he thought of tubbo. Of tommy, what they were doing what they were thinking-

The second ranboo started to feel anxious about what was happening to the two the door swing open a yelling tommy pushed inside followed by tubbo who was screaming something in Aetherian.

Ranboo smiled upon seeing the two, despite their anger that was prominent in their faces ranboo felt relived. The guard ignored the two, even when tommy spit on the guards boot saying something about how he would kill him if he had the chance.

The door closed again, and tubbo and tommy smiled, their emotions taken a 180 when seeing the taller.

Tubbo smiled brightly. "You're here! I thought they had don't something to you bossman" tubbo knelt down next to ranboo, opening all four of his arms offering a hug, ranboo leaned forward hugging tubbo tightly. Tubbo tracking his antenna over his horns like he did any other time the two would hug or tubbo would embrace someone with similar antenna or horns.

Tommy groaned. "Why am I always stuck with you, first the dorms, then this trip and now this. WHY AM I ALWAYS STUCK WITH RANBOO!" Tommy shouted loud enough for the guards outside enough hear him through the walls.

Ranboo chuckled. "Oh, you know you missed me" he smiled letting tubbo go. Tubbo sat next to ranboo, siting against the wall.

Tommy rolled his eyes crossing his arms. "No, I didn't" tommy huffed, smiling slightly as he looked away from the two.

Tubbo whispered to ranboo, "he totally was, the first thing he asked me when he saw me was 'where's ranboo? Do you know if he's ok'" tubbo laughed.

Ranboo smiled offering a hug to tommy, "you were worried about me, aw, I didn't know you cared that much"

Tommy rolled his eyes. "No." Tubbo huffed, "you so were! You kept fidgeting with your fingers, and you kept on yelling at the guards to tell you where he was!"

Tommy tightened his arms around himself, "Ok, I was that worried." tommy scoffed.

Ranboo wiggled his fingers still offering a hug. Tommy sighed accepting the hug finally,

Ranboo smiled tightens his arms around tommy.

"I was worrying about both of you two." Ranboo rubbed a few circles and other shapes into tommys back before tommy let him go, sitting next to ranboo on the opposite side of ranboo, mirroring tubbos place.

Tommy smiled. "I'm glad you're ok" he smiled looking at ranboo fondly. "Both of you" He looked over ranboo and towards tubbo who smiled.
___

Ranboo groaned as he pulled on the bars with the blankets, tubbo and tommy helping him pull the bars apart.

Ranboo let the tangled the fabric fall on the ground, fitting his hand through the bars,

Ranboo motioned his hand towards tubbo who placed a few thin pins in his hand, tubbo had used them to keep his hair out of his face but now there was a think Bush of brunet hair in front of his face, ranboo turned towards tommy who handed him an extra hair tie from when he braided his hair a few days, luckily leaving it on his wrist so ranboo wouldn't have to take his extricate braids out.

Ranboo smiled placing the hair tie onto a screw using the pins to twist the tie, unscrewing the screws holding the hinges onto the door.

When ranboo finally unscrewed the last screw ranboo backed away gently, the thick metal still standing.

"Ok." Ranboo sighed of relief, whispering. "We have to pull the bars apart a little more and then we can get out of here." Ranboo smiled.

Tommy and tubbo nodded.

They pulled one the bars until all three of them could walk through the bars individually, even ranboo who was taller than both of tommy and tubbo.

"Ok. On one" ranboo whispered preparing tommy to push the door down, the three of them ready to get in as many fist fights as the three need to get out.

"Wait hold on, what's the plan again" tubbo asked standing in front of ranboo.

"We've been over this" tommy rolled his eyes.

Ranboo smiled. "It's ok, we're gonna break the door down, head to the launch bay, steal an escape pod, hot wire it and get the hell out of here." tubbo nodded as ranboo whispered each part of his plan.

"Alright." Tommy and tubbo said at the same time.

"We ready?" Ranboo smiled, this was gonna work, they were gonna get out of here, all of them, they were gonna escape! They were gonna make their way back to aether and then fix up their ship and head back to the syndicate, maybe tommy could help him convince Niki to let tubbo join the syndicate.

"Two.." ranboo whispered.

"Three. Go!" Ranboo shouted tommy running at the door pushing it down, tommy grinning wildly as he startled the guards.

"Hello my men," tommy smiled. "And woman" Tommy winked at the petite woman who had a faint pink blush on her cheeks.

She cleared her throat and shouted towards tommy. "Get back in your cell inmate! Don't make us hurt you" she glared at tommy as he laughed.

"I'm glad you don't want to hurt me, because I definitely don't want to hurt you, stain the reputation you know how it is, hitting a woman? No, no, I could never" tommy rolled his eyes knowing that was a lie. He had gotten in plenty of fist fights, most of them being with woman, mainly because he would say something in bad taste and one of the woman would want to teach him a lesson, all of course he learned from.

Tubbo had walked out of the room huffing, "you done dilly-dallying? It's time to beat space alien ass."

"That wasn't very nice tubbo" ranboo huffed stepping out of the room cracking his knuckles. "You are right though" he smiled. Eyeing the young guard from earlier, winking at him. He aimed him blaster towards him, ranboo teleporting behind him pulling his arm behind him taking the blaster from him whispering a thank you in his ear, the man clearing his throat before trying to pull away from him failing as ranboo pressed the blaster to his back.

"You are gonna give us each two blasters, well on for me I perhaps. Eh, having third couldn't hurt." Ranboo chuckled. "Then you gonna tell all of your friends to stay put until we say you can let them come after rush or." Ranboo smiled passing his lips closer to the man's ear. "Or I'll shoot you, letting you bleed out all alone as you watch all three of us get away knowing, that you, are, a, failure." Ranboo paused between he words smiling. The man stuttered as ranboo pressed the guns barrel harder into his back.

The man nodded clearing his throat as he repeated what ranboo told him to say.

Ranboo nodded ushering tubbo and tommy towards the door. Letting them get a head.

Ranboo paused before turning to the other guards. "Oh, and if you send back up, or you I don't know, come after your friend, well." Ranboo smiled. "He'll die." Ranboo turned his head and caught up to Tommy and tubbo who were snickering.

"That wasn't part of the plan!" Tubbo nibbled on the ends of his nails. "You can't just take a hostage! That was terrifying, I didn't know you could be so-"

"Badass" tommy interrupting earning a smack and a glare from tubbo. "Hey! I'm right! He never That cool back at the syndicate but now! Oh man! That was impressive." Tommy smiled bouncing back and forth and side to side for ranboo.

Ranboo chuckled. "You're an idiot." He rolled his eyes as they walked through the mother ship without any issues, ranboo covering the Garuda mouth and hiding behind walls as other guards walked past talking about something ranboo couldn't catch with he's ears.

They made it to the escape pod, tommy hoping inside and playing with a few wires before the lights kicked on and a creepy woman's voice Said "to operate this escape ship you must have an operator key" it is repeating it over until tommy cut a thick green wire. Tommy smiled.

"Ok." Tommy lifted his hands admiring his work grinning. "I got it" he cheered to himself Quietly.

Tubbo smiled hopping next to tommy in the co-pilot chair.

Ranboo stood outside the ship for a while.

"Bossman?" Tubbo cooked an eyebrow. " are you coming?" He asked looking between the guard and ranboo.

Ranboo held the gun loosely against the man's back.

"The." Ranboo mumbled. "The ship needs to have someone press a button to let it leave." Ranboo eyed the bright red button that flashed slightly and slowly with big bold letter above it saying, 'to launch.'

Tubbo looked at him confused, "so? Make the guard press it? There's room for one more," tommy looked between the two.

"By the time we get the pod ready, doors closed." Ranboo paused. "He will have gotten another guards attention." Ranboo looked up at the ceiling chuckling. "We'll just end up back In Their jail" ranboo huffed.

Tommy stood up. "So, we lose them, I press the button." Tommy raised his hand.

Ranboo smiled. "No."

Tommy cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean no? Ranboo everyone at the syndicate needs you? They'll miss you, we can't. We can't leave without you?" Tommy scoffed.

Ranboo sighed. Whispering an apology into the guards ear before he knocked him out with the back of the gun.

He tossed it aside no longer seeing a use for it.

Tommy looked between the guard who collapsed on the ground and then to ranboo.

Ranboo stepped forward, tommy smiling, he turned around getting ready to fly the thing. "Come on, we should start heading out!" Tommy grinned.

Ranboo sighed pressing the button holding it down.

Tommy turned around upon hearing the speakers say something about the launch sequence starting in tea minus five.

Ranboo smiled as the glass doors began to shut. Tommy stood up.

"What are you doing!" Tommy shouted pounding on the glass as it shut.

Ranboo sighed. "Saving you before you do something stupid."

Tommy pounded on the glass. "No! Ranboo! You can't! No!" Tommy had tears in his eyes.

Ranboo pressed his forehead against the glass as tommy did the same.

"Tommy." Ranboo sighed.

Tommy looked up at him, few sets of hot tears ready to pool over any second.

"Can you do me a favor?" He smiled sadly.

"Yes, of course," tommy shouted. Pounding on the glass again. Tears still treating to fall him batting them away quickly.

Ranboo pressed his hand against the glass, "get tubbo home, no matter what, you get him home." Ranboo smiled as he looked over at tubbo who was crying, hot tears pooling over his cheek no eyes in sight from the hair that covers then.

Tommy nodded quickly. "I promise I will." Tommy balled his fist up into a ball, knuckles turning a pale color nearly white.

"On and one more thing," ranboo smiled pulling two yellow roses from his pocket, they were dried out of course but still held a strong yellow color in the crinkled petals. "get more of these, I forgot to put these in case."

Tommy chuckled. "Of course, you did" tommy placed his hand flat on the glass as the speakers told them there were only two minutes left until launch.

"Fuck ranboo. Why are you like this." Tommy huffed hitting his head on the glass lightly.

Ranboo cocked an eyebrow. "Like what?" He asked a faint smile on his face.

"So. Kind, caring even when you're about to risk everything even your own life. For me even." Tommy mumbled and stuttered through his words, the blond wasn't the best with his emotions, a lot of people could vouch for him on that fact.

"Tommy, you're an amazing friend and an even more unique and beautiful person. You deserve for people to see that. You deserve better toms." Ranboo smiled, as tommy closed his eyes, forehead still against the glass with ranboos.

"If you.." Tommy trailed off trying to prefect and figure out exactly what he wanted to say.
"If you find a way. To get out of here." Tommy held his breath. "Please come back to us. Come back to me. Take it no matter who tries to stop you." Tommy opened his eyes looking into ranboo mix matched Christmas color themed eyes.
"You get back to me because even I need you, you get back to tubbo because he needs you and you better fucking get back to the syndicate because they all need you, your brain, your skills." Tommy smiled sadly. "Your heart."

Ranboo let a few tears trail down his face as he heard the speakers start to count down.

Five.

Tommy pounded on the glass.

Four.

Ranboo lifted his head up to smiled sadly to tubbo who was wiping tears from his eyes.

Three.

Two.

One.

Tommy cried he let the tears fall from his eyes as he watched ranboos figure diaper and as the ship started to drift away, tubbo taking the wheel, assuming it was the same mechanisms as a crop duster, something he knew how to fly. And it was. Tubbo ignored the pain in his chest and flew tommy and him out of there, waiting for when the blond would want to take his rightful seat in the pilots chair.

The blond still had his hand pressed up against the glass as he squinted,

Flashes. So many of them. red maybe slightly yellow if you looked closely. the familiar Lazer that shot out of his person gun

Gun shots.

The blond fell to his knees already assuming the worse.

They got him! Ranboo was dead! He wasn't coming back!. Tommy had failed his best friend!

Tommy cried. Tears pooling down his cheeks and neck.

Why had ranboo cared so much? Tommy was just tommy? The gross sticky kid who no one touched because kids spread rumors about how if you touched him you would get warts! Why had ranboo been so nice to him even after he made a point to hate him for years.

Tommy had then realized why everyone loved ranboo.

He was kind. He cared, he loved with all his heart, believing in everyone.

Oh, but gods and goddesses why did ranboo care so much, he could of live, risked their freedom to save his life.

But tommy knew at the end of the day that, that wasn't ranboo. It never was.
---
Syndicate rule number: 361
Flight, fight, freeze.

In any combat situations your instincts must be of all used to you, whither your gut tells you to flee or to fight until your heart gives out, or if you even must drop everything and turn yourself in your gut is your best asset.
----

Ranboo looked around, flashing red light and loud sirens sounded above him. He looked at the ground finding no unconscious guard.

"Shit." Ranboo whispered. How could he be so stupid to let him live? The guy wanted him dead for fucks sakes!

Ranboo looked around finding a rather large vent, which had to work right? As long as there wasn't any cameras hidden somewhere he didn't know he should be safe!

So as quickly as he could he pulled off the vent, climbing inside before covering it again.

Hopefully it look normal like nothing changed. Hopefully.

Hope was all ranboo had in this situation. Hope that he would get out of here. Hope that he would get on an escape pod and make it back to aether, hope that tommy and tubbo were still there, hope that he would feel the blades of grass between his toes as he stood above the ground, hope that he would see the stars from the warm planet again, to have a soft yellow rose placed behind his ear from a tall blond or a short brunet again. Hope to see his friends, his family again.

Hope.

Ranboo crawled further through the vents trying to distance himself farther enough away so no one could see him if someone bothered to check the vents for some God forsaken reason.

Ranboo turned into a tunnel staying put on the edge sighing as he decided to stay put, he was far enough away he decided.

---

Tommy held onto the yoke tightly as he tried to focus his mind on flying rather than what had happened nearly an hour before.

Tommy didn't really know what to think, let alone how to process how he felt, was it anger? For not being about to get out of the pod in time to stop ranboo from trading inside leading himself to his out demise, or was it anger because he felt like ranboo was selfish for once again being the good one, the kind one, the one everyone looked up to. Or maybe it was sadness.

Sadness because ranboo was one of his only friend, or more precisely best friend. Even though he hated the thought of actually liking ranboos company just like everyone else who was a part of the syndicate, or maybe it was because the enderian reminded him so much of his old mission caption, who much like ranboo, was dead.

Tommy hadn't even processed the pain and the grief he felt for him. But of these people, these people he cared about would not be dead if it wasn't for him.

Wilbur would still be alive if Tommy didn't.. if he didn't. If.

If Tommy didn't run away Wilbur wouldn't of ended up with a blaster to the back of his head and a gaping hole the size of an orange in his head.

And ranboo.

If he was a little faster. If he was smarter if he pulled ranboo inside the escape pod and swaped places with ranboo. He. He. He could be alive and tommy could be the one dead. Tommy the worthless, pathetic and annoying tommyinnit would be dead and the smart amazing and lovely ranboo would be alive.

If Tommy didn't turn around expecting ranboo to go with them.

It was tommys fault.

Tommy squeezed harder as he speed up. Changing course from aether to the syndicates mother ship. He needed to borrow something, or someone.
_____

Ranboo held his breath each time he heard a set of footsteps travel above him.

Ranboo didn't dare sneeze, let alone cough from all the dust down here. He had to live long enough for these guys to let their guard down if that was even possible. Thirst and starvation would probably take him before any of this mysterious soldiers did.

Speaking of which who were these guys? They seemed to know him and tommy, though maybe it was who they worked for they knew.

Ranboo shook off the thought, he didn't need to know the specifics, he needed to stay alive. And if that meant him living in a dusty old air vent for a few days while he went hungry waiting for an opportunity to show itself, then so be it.
____

Tommy landed the escape pod rather ruffled on the landing pad of the syndicate, tommy sighed as he saw a few officers already pointing blasters at the ship.

Tommy turned towards tubbo.

"Let me go first alright?" Tommy smiled sadly. He opened the latch on the top of the pod, carefully and slowly exiting the ship, he raised his hands in the air after slowly closing the lid again. Tommy smiled as everyone groaned and put their blasters away.

"Sorry for the disappoint," tommy chuckled. "It's just tommyinnit"

A girl around tommys age walk up to Tommy and glared at him.

"Why are you in a first order ship." She squinted her eyes as she looked at the cereal code that was scrolled across the side.

"Well, you see, me and ranboo and someone else got kidnapped by these guys and my and the other guy escaped." Tommy frowned.

"What about ranboo?" She asked looking up at tommy curiosity.

He didn't...

"He didn't escape." Tommy's voice hitched as he said ranboos name.

"How do you know you're not lying? That you didn't just abandon him there" another guy from the line of officers asked hand over his blaster as if he was ready to shoot.

"Why would I lie? I liked ranboo as much as any of you" Tommy's face scrunched up.

"I don't know about that you two were always fighting." Another offered.

Tommy closed his eyes as his breath picked up.

"I love you tommy," ranboo took each one of tommys hands holding one to each of their hearts. "As long as I am alive I will love you. You're the best person I've ever met tommy. Just because we fight and argue all the time doesn't mean I don't love you" ranboo smiled again brushing a hand through his hair.

"As long as I'm alive"

Alive.

Alive.

He wasn't alive anymore.

"Alright leave the boy alone" a familiar voice filled tommys ears. Tommy wiped his eyes open seeing Technoblade standing in front of him, back facing him as he shoes everyone off the landing bay floor.

Tommy sighed, climbing down a second latter running up and embracing techno in a tight, quick hug only family could give each other.

Tommy wanted to cry when techno hugged him back arms fixed tightly around his back.

"I missed you" techno whispered as if it was a secret only tommy could have.

"I missed you too" tommy let techno go, techno wiping the slick green goo of his skin making little to no fuss about it, used to it by now. Tommy turned his attention towards the pod. He quickly opened the top.

"Come on, you won't get shot now," tommy offered tubbo a hand, he ignored the gesture and flew out of the pod.

"Finally air free from your stench" tubbo laughed. Tommy rolled his eyes.

"I don't smell." Tommy insisted. Crossing his arms and huffing as if tubbo had called him a petty name.

Tubbo scrunched up his nose, flicking his wings quickly a few times. "Eh. Continue lying to yourself bossman." Tubbo laughed again.

Tommy huffed and snickered "I'm not lying." Fortunately for techno tubbo didn't hear him. Moving on into a different conversation quickly.

"So. You want my help." Techno asked again making sure he wasn't miss understanding what tommy was saying.

"Yes, for the fifth time techno, I need your help." Tommy groaned leaning back in one of the chairs he had put in his office for people to use when they needed to talk to techno, apparently it was supposed to be more professional.

Tubbo had been spacing out not really paying mind to what the two were talking about as he flew around the room looking at that the new things around him, like the spider in the corner of the room, or the money tree. Techno had placed on his desk for decoration, though now it seemed dry and dead, un-watered in days maybe even weeks.

Techno grinned. "So does this mean you finally admit that I'm stronger than you?" Techno smiled as he moved his braid over his shoulder. Small red and pink mums were tucked in techno's braid, most likely put in there by a small child.

"No. I just need you help thought you would be interested" tommy shrugged rocking the chair up and down causing it to tilt forwards and backwards each time.

Techno hummed. "Depends on what you need help with." Leaning back in his chair, not lifting the legs in the air like tommy though.

"Ha. Well, there's this mother ship fair out in space that sorta.." Tommy hummed. "Kidnapped me and ranboo, along with him, and killed ranboo." Tommy sighed.

Technos eyes softened. "Ranboo?" Techno hummed. "Let me guess he sacrificed himself. Just like Wilbur" technos voice drifted as he mentioned the two brother.

"Yes, I told him not to, but." Tommy batted tears out from his eyes. "I was too late. I was too slow." Tommy's voice cracked.

Techno nodded. "So.." he grinned. "We're getting revenge?" Techno clasped his hands together as he stood up.

Tommy nodded confirming what techno had said.

Techno nodded. "So, we better get going" he ushered tommy up, tommy standing up letting the chair fall behind him making a soft thud. He called tubbo to follow the two to wherever techno was taking them, he most likely was taking the two to the etterrath, technos prized ship.

------

Ranboo woke up to the sounds of gunfire above him, stomping feet running past as they fired shots back.

What was going on? Was the only thought that was running through his head, because in all honesty what was going on? Ranboo had only been asleep for an hour now, right? He didn't oversleep or go into a coma now did he?

Ranboo shifted his weight onto his palms as he crawled through the tunnels back to where he first came from, peeking out from behind the grate seeing figures running back and forth shooting shots over the various crates they had stored in the large room.

Ranboo looked around the room decided if staying put would be a good idea or if this was an opportunity to try and escape out of here.

Ranboo chose the latter and pushed the grate open cringing at the slight metal clang that sounded when it fell to the ground.

Ranboo sighed, crawling out before hiding behind a set of crates having no time to stretch and risk getting shot at for being an intruder.

Ranboo scrunched up his nose when he heard the alarms turn on, the speakers wailing in an annoying tone he thought only tommy could mimic.

Ranboo looked over the crates seeing an open escape pod that had no guards shooting at. This was his chance.
-----

Tommy smiled as he plopped next to tech o in the copilot chair abandoning tubbo in the back of the ship.

Techno side eyed him. "Do you need something?" He looked over at tommy how was leaning his body across the arms rests.

"No. Not really." Tommy whispered. Techno cocked an eyebrow.

"Then why are you in here?" Techno scoffed. "Weren't you just playing some card game with tubbo? The goldfish one?" Techno glared over at tommy before returning to the window, watching out for any flying debris.

Tommy laughed. "Yeah, but he lost and gave up, sorta got bored I guess. Wanted to know what you were doing." Tommy shrugged the best he could without disturbing the comfortable position he was in.

Techno huffed. "I'm flying the ship, what else would I be doing," techno rolled his eats. "Definitely not watching a motion picture by myself in here." Techno laughed.

Tommy kicked his shoulder earning a warning form Techno, he just rolled his eyes and sighed.

"How do you deal with it?" Tommy whispered, it was as if he thought he was saying something wrong, something he wasn't meant to mention or talk about.

"Deal with what tommy? Got to be more specific there, bud." Techno shook his head laughing softly.

Tommy shrugged. "Everything I guess, maybe." Tommy paused. "The whole.." Tommy's voice was caught in his throat.
"Wilbur situation I suppose." He finally said after Techno looked at him unsure if he should say anything.

Techno nodded. "Well. It's been a year toms. It's sorta. Faded I suppose maybe the phrase 'time heals all wounds' isn't quite fake after all." Techno smiled sadly. Of course, techno still missed Wilbur, he was the two's older brother after all, he practically raised them, finding the two helplessly alone, tommy basically thrown in a box on the side of the road. It was true that neither of the three were biological brothers, I mean tommy was basically a toad while techno was a pig, literally, and Wilbur was a human. But the three had loved each other as brothers, they were family.

Tommy scoffed throwing his head back leaning upside down. "Yeah right." Tommy sighed frowning. "Why haven't mine healed yet, I still haven't even accepted the fact that he isn't coming back." Tommy whispered, his words coming out of his mouth slowly.

"Well, Wilbur's not coming back tommy." Techno stared blankly. "He's dead tommy, gone, never coming back" techno spoke with the same blandness as before.

Tommy nodded. "I know.. and it's my fault he isn't... I shouldn't.." Tommy paused. "I should not have run. I should of stayed." Tommy pressed his hand against his eye stopping tears from falling. "Maybe." Tommy's voice was falling apart. "Maybe he could of lived." Tommy's voice cracked, a quiet sob wiggling through his vocal cords making their way out into the small room.

Techno shook his head. "I was meant to go with you two you know." Techno whispered. "That night when you left, I didn't want to go because me and Wilbur were arguing." Techno frowned; his sadness finally show on his face. "Over something petty as usual." Techno rolled his eyes. "Just some random thing I don't even remember." Techno squeezed the yoke. "The last thing I told him was that I hated him. I didn't really but I can't help but wonder... if." Techno sighed. "If he died believing I hated him." Techno closed his eyes for a second seeing a matter of years play over in his head in a second before opening them again. "But I know that he knew I didn't mean it. I hoped he knew."

Tommy stayed quiet until techno finished.

"I heard the shooter. I heard him." Tommy mumbled. "I knew he was there I just didn't think about who it was. I-" tommy frowned. "I didn't tell Wilbur because I didn't think.." Tommy stopped himself. If he said anymore he knew he would cry, and he didn't know if he would stop if he started now.

"It wasn't your fault Tommy. Wilbur told you to run. You did what you captain told you to do." Techno nodded.

Tommy closed his eyes.

Someone had cocked there gun, behind Wilbur. Tommy's eyes widened as he looked at Wilbur. "Did you hear" tommy started. Wilbur shushed tommy.

"Run tommy. Run, you get out of here you need to go!" Wilbur shouted. Tommy backed away from Wilbur looked around only seeing Wilbur and the masked shooter.

"But.. Wilbur. You'll. They'll.. You'll.." Tommy stuttered tears threatening to fall him not understanding the danger of this situation fully.

"Get out of here tommy! Get out!" He yelled.

Tommy turned and ran. He ran as far as he feet let him. But he wasn't far enough to not hear the gunshot.

"I could of saved him." Tommy opened his eyes. Lips shivering as the moments from the year before played through his mind haunting him.

"No tommy. You couldn't you were a kid. You were a 16-year-old who didn't even know how to use a blaster." Technos voice was harsh,

Tommy sniffed. "I could of.. I could of helped at least." Tommy rubbed his eyes as he sat up.

"No tommy. You. Were. A. Kid. You couldn't of." Technos eyes were soft as he looked over at him. "Stop blaming yourself because I don't even blame you, and Wilbur sure as hell wouldn't either."

Tommy smiled sadly.

------

Ranboo ran for it, he ran inside the pod before remembering that he needed to press the outside button, oh and not to mention he needed to somehow find a key.

"Shit" he mumbled upon remembering these Oh so large details.

Ranboo nibbled on the ends of his nails before deciding it was best to stay put instead of risking his life again to just hid somewhere else.

Ranboo Sat against the wall next to the doorway, pressing his thumbs knuckle against his forehead.

God's only know why ranboo let himself get in this mess, why did he willingly put himself in danger when someone else offered themself instead. Ranboo supposed that this way just the way he was. Selfless,

Stupid if you asked me, but I rather keep that a secret between you and me.

Ranboo sighed as he heard the echoes of more gunshot through the hallways, more of the clamp, clamp, clamp of the soldiers stomping through the halls.

Ranboo covered his ears, it felt like everything way getting to Loud. The flashing lights, the sirens, everything the soldiers did. It was too much, ranboo wanted the world to just go silent. Just for a little while. Or maybe forever if that was enough to let him catch his breath for a while.

---

Tommy shouted like a maniac when he hoped off the etterrath, falling onto the launch bay of the first orders mother ship.

Tommy immediately started firing shots from his blaster the red Lazer making its way through someone chest before they got the chance to fire their own blaster.

Tubbo and techno followed behind him, firing their own blaster, maybe not with the same rath and laughter but with the same amount of power.

Soon enough they came to the escape pod area taking out the soldiers who stood guard.

Techno took out the last one ushering the two inside seeing the crates.

Tubbo froze when he looked inside one of the escape pods.
It can't be he thought he saw a familiar outline of one of their departed friends, his soft black hair on his shoulders, in the same braids he saw him last in.
But no. That was crazy it had to be someone else.

Tubbo stood for a while, watching as the figure pulled their legs to their chest hands leaving their ears to hold themself tightly against their knees.

"Ranboo.." tubbo mumbled, the name just slipped out, maybe he hoped it wasn't crazy, hoped it really was ranboo.

The figure shifted and looked out of the doorway confused when he saw tubbo, as if he was seeing things.

Tubbo dropped his blaster running towards him.

"Ranboo!" He shouted tears in his eyes. "Your alive!" He hugged ranboo tightly surprising the taller.

Ranboo hesitantly hugged tubbo. "You're.." ranboo paused hugging tubbo. "Please tell me you're real." Ranboo layer his head on tubbos shoulder.

Tubbo nodded the best he could without knocking heads with ranboo. "I'm real. I'm so fucking real ranboo, and so are you" tubbo cried of joy. Tubbo pulled away arms still on ranboo's shoulders. "Tommy's gonna be so happy to see you" tubbo laughed, stray tears still falling from his eyes, trailing down his face. Tubbo smiled still amazed seeing ranboo.

Ranboo looked shocked, like he had just been hit in the head with a gold ball, twice.

Tubbo called tommys name, telling him to come over here, and that he had the best news.

Tommy groaned as he walked over. "What news can be better than killing the bastards who hurt you and-"

Tommy froze.

"Ranboo?" Tommy's eyes lightened. "Is that really.." Tommy smiled. "You?" He asked stepping towards him.

Ranboo smiled. "You can't get rid of me that easy." He laughed bringing the three of them into a hug.

Tommy cried, tubbo cried, they all cried, well not techno he was still beating up that one guard that confused him for a woman and insisted that he could beat him in a fight, a little extra if Tommy was gonna be honest but fair none the less.

Tommy laughed when they all pulled away. "You look like shit." Ranboo mumbled seeing Tommy's dark eyebags and faded tear lines.

"Well, I thought you died." Tommy huffed, rolling his eyes. "And you look worse, how long as it been sense you ate? And where did you hide? surely these idiots ain't that stupid," tommy continued asking questions quickly insisting he needed an answer as soon as possible for each one.

Tubbo slapped his hand onto tommys mouth stopping his from saying anything more mumbling an insult under in breath in Aetherian before saying "just enjoy this, stop being an annoying friend for a second." In English.

Ranboo laughed when tommy licked tubbos hand causing him to scream in disgust wiping it onto Tommy shirt.

-----one year later-----

Tommy shouted as he entered the dorm, startling both ranboo and tubbo. "Guess who aced his firearm training for the hundredth time." Tommy smiled brightly.

Tubbo and ranboo looked at each other. "I wonder who." they both rolled their eyes.

"That's right suckers I did!" Tommy plopped down next to ranboo in his bed. "And you two doubted me." Tommy shook his head as he tisked.

Ranboo rolled his eyes. "I never doubted you," ranboo smiled, pushing his long braid in front of his shoulder, fingering one of the yellow flower petals that had fallen off of one of the many that tommy had place in his hair, the small yellow flowers meant a lot to the three, help them remember the good and the really bad times.

Tubbo threw a pillow at the two. " I don't count! I definitely doubted you but that was because you missed 9/10 of those shots you fired at that guy on that one mission in weican!" Tubbo huffed crossing his arms.

"Hey! It not my fault that he flew ten feet in the air and was flying around like a mad man!" Tommy defended himself siting up to the glare at tubbo who was sat on his bed that was above tommys, don't even ask why the two wanted bunk bed, ranboo thought it made the room look like one of those summer camp rooms on earth in here because of it.

Tubbo scoffed any rolled his eyes playfully. "Go job on the test anyways bossman."

Everything was good. Tubbo was a part of the syndicate, they had regular mission throughout the galaxy allowing ranboo the track and chart the stars around each of the new planets they went to. Tommy was getting better at well, Everything, he was getting good marks on every test he took, Niki said that the mission the two went on a year before had worked showing ranboo and tommy how much their friendship meant to each other or how she put it stopped them from fucking fighting all the time.

But to sum up the last year, they had lived, the small details didn't matter because they had lived.