Chapter Text
Killer for hire, soldier of fortune
Gotta walk through fire for what's important
And the warrior's blood through your veins is coursing
Killer for hire, soldier of fortune
The cool metal barrel lay against the brunette’s scarred cheek, high above the streets as the moon crawls across the sky overhead while the young man slows his breathing leaning against the stone wall.
His mark stood, unknowingly, perfectly within his sight down the cold death bringer Tubbo had grown accustomed too since swearing off his powers.
A rich bastard in a smart suit was in the middle of L’Manburg’s main park yelling into his cell phone. Someone who had several shady underground deals spreading the information his boss didn’t want shared onto their territory stood within the glass scope Tubbo had centred upon him. The fact the target was an open supporter of L’Manburg’s current mayor was the perfect reason to place a price on his head, someone in a rival position doing just that.
Schlatt took the deal eagerly, assigning Tubbo to it earlier and told him to make it snappy.
Taking a deep breath, his calloused finger slides across the trigger, both eyes remaining open as he prepares the shot. His partner rustles behind him, standing lookout by the roof door as Tubbo steels himself to complete the mission they were given.
Building a wall around his heart to protect the blood he continued to spill with his actions, Tubbo pulls the trigger.
A loud bang signals a successful mission as the gun shakes, Tubbo leaning into it as the rich man falls down with a clean shot through his temple.
Screams ring out as Tubbo ejects the casing, his pink-haired partner coming to retrieve the smoking evidence as the sniper quickly disassembles his gun. Working together like the well oiled team they were, they are heading out of the building’s front door in under five minutes and disappearing to the tunnels beneath the city. Having their hoods pulled over their faces, they avoid cameras as they slip into the shadows.
A cloak of blood and a cloak of star yellow, side by side as they did what they do best. The Marksman and the Blade, a perfect pairing of death bringers to those the M.A.G. wanted dead.
Technoblade walks beside the young brunette, both silent until they are well away from the public when Tubbo lets out the sigh he had been holding since before pulling the trigger.
“How long until I grow accustomed to causing death, Tech?” Tubbo’s high voice is quick, missing its usual warmth as he remembers to add a tick to his count across his knuckles. He glances at the hands that felt sticky with blood even though they were clean under the artificial light, examining the lines inked across his hands.
“You don’t.” His mentor’s deep voice is devoid of emotion, looking to him with a certain distance in those dead blue eyes. His rose-pink hair lay in a tight braid down the right side of his neck, brushing the bottom of his ribcage as he tugs it out from the hood he dropped since they went below ground. “But we do what we have too.”
“Why have you never tried to escape the M.A.G.?” Tubbo’s traitorous words against the Manburg Assassin’s Guild made Techno flinch, powerful waves of emotion returning to his ocean gaze as he glared at his pupil.
“Schlatt will always find you if you flee, he has proved it many times over in front of me when others have attempted.” He says harshly, pointing at Tubbo. “Don’t say that again, not if you want to breathe outside air within the next month because that will absolutely get you confined to headquarters.”
“I am just so tired of it all, man.” Tubbo confesses, the smallest bit of sympathy twinging Techno’s harsh expression.
The quiet man looked troubled, meeting the small brunette he had come to care for over the past several months.
Techno reaches out for a rare shoulder clasp, stopping them both as he joins his blue eyes to the smaller man’s gaze. “Look, we did a good job tonight. Schlatt is sure to let us just have the rest of the night off which means we could read if you wanted to?”
Tubbo’s heart stuttered at the kind offer; he loved stories but often had trouble reading complicated words. He reminisced sadly about missing his best friends when he first ‘joined’ M.A.G. to Techno, many happy weekends spent with Tommy and Ranboo taking turns working their way through whatever books they could find. The gruff healer, who had developed a bit of a soft spot for the excitable boy, took up the mantle of doing the same when they both had spare time off.
“I’d love to, Tech, I appreciate the offer but I think I need to just spend tonight by myself. It’s been a long day.” Tubbo rolls his shoulders with a gentle smile wanting to just be alone now, case for his gun bouncing against his jean jacket. “Soon, for sure, let’s get back to Schlatt for now though.”
He takes off walking down the sewers they travelled, long since decommissioned which is why it made the perfect way for M.A.G. agents to use. Techno quickly catches up, being several inches taller than the small sniper.
He can’t resist one more comment, feeling worried about saying his questioning stance aloud. “Just…please don’t tell Schlatt I asked that.”
“Kid…” Techno huffs, looking down with a pitying gaze. “You know I have covered you for much worse situations than that small indiscretion. Just, be more careful with your words, I rather like having you around an’ don’t want us separated.”
Tubbo’s grin this time is genuine, the ruthless Blade’s cheeks a faint shade of rosy red. “That’s the first time you have admitted liking me being around.”
“Shut up.”
They arrive at the ancient tunnel, an old prohibition build that wasn’t on most city maps except for a select few ancient ones the President stole for his own possession. The perfect hideout for the Guild that ran with darkness surrounding them, one that would do the perfect kill for the right price with no questions asked.
Tubbo and Techno avoid the pitfalls with perfect ease, dodging the traps that lay between their base and the rest of the sewer system after entering the tunnel. This was the entrance all agents used, only the elite members of M.A.G. had access to the quick exits into secret parts of the city above.
As they approach the main entrance Tubbo lets his conscience fall back a step, sliding in place the mask to survive being around the conniving Schlatt. If that man sensed any weakness in your resolve it would become your worst nightmare how he used that knowledge.
Techno opens the steel door leading into the front hall of their base, Tubbo’s vision being cast across the luxury furnishings lining the halls around the lockers where they dropped off their outside gear.
Tubbo tucks his worn boots into the bottom, hanging the jean jacket he wore after letting his fingers rest for a precious few seconds on the cartoon bee patch sewn above his heart. Sliding the gun case strap from around his torso, Techno and himself go to the armoury to put away the sniper rifle.
Inside is the man Tubbo dreaded seeing, waiting with a proud smile edging on maniacal as he nurses a honey-shaded whiskey in a clear crystal glass. Dressed in a clean suit with perfectly gelled hair and sideburns, he smokes a cigar between sips of the hard alcohol swirling in the glass.
“Got the wonderful news our contract was shot in Central Park about half an hour ago and police are still searching for the suspects.” Schlatt announces in his booming voice, Tubbo performing the routine cleaning of his gun as M.A.G. 's boss speaks. “How many shots did it take, Blade?”
“One bullet, President.”
“He has come so far hasn’t he.” Schlatt bragged, standing to place both hands on Tubbo’s shoulders, which he had to fight himself from flinching away from the terrifying man. “Good job Marksman, take the rest of the night off. You too Blade, enjoy. I will have a new mission for you tomorrow.”
Schlatt leaves after picking up his whiskey glass with a proud smirk tossed Tubbo’s way, which he schooled his face to show a quiet acceptance of his prideful stare.
Within the Manburg Assassin’s Guild all operated on a nocturnal schedule, their contracts best worked under the dark black of a night sky. Therefore it was only about midnight now, Tubbo had several hours until he had to sleep to continue his traitorous schemes of escape from this living hell.
Techno splits off from the young man to head to the infirmary, even though the tough medic had the night off he still would always make sure any current patients were recovering well. Unable to ever stop working, Techno would have to be on his own death bed to even begin to rationalise slowing down.
Tubbo walks slowly back to his room alone, eye hurting from the harsh glare of the hallway lights. They all had rooms down here, this part of the sewer having been renovated to have apartments for all current members of M.A.G. among other necessities.
Well, what Schlatt would consider necessities like a bar and other sorts of entertainment rooms too. Tubbo rarely left his apartment unless on a mission, preferring the solitary environment compared to the other loud parts of this settlement of assassins.
Seconds before he is opening his door using the key hooked onto his belt loop, the person that Tubbo had the most emotions wrapped around turned the corner.
A tall elegant being wearing a beautiful crimson dress, Eret swept down the hall towards their own rooms. Tubbo quickly opens his own apartment and slips inside before Eret can say anything, guilt choking his throat closed.
Before arriving here, these two brunettes had been much closer. Most people they met even called the pair siblings, it was them two against the world when they were still sworn into The Hero’s Syndicate. Eret and Tubbo shared similar stories of losing their parents young to the harsh world that surrounded them, powerful abilities developing young in the brunettes, then they were paired up young and the rest was history.
Slowly striding to the mirror Tubbo had in the corner of his room, he had to take a moment before looking at himself.
Every single time, it shocked him again.
Harsh, thick scarring coats the right side of his face, milky white eye staring out unseeing at the reflection of the broken man. Tubbo’s clear blue eye looked so jaded, he barely recognised himself. Old burn wounds covered the boy’s skin in spots, markers of his powers he swore off the moment he was captured. His hair hung past his eyes, messy with being untrimmed for the past several months, he pulls it back into a ponytail in a mindless action.
Remembering that night, he hugs himself tight with aching arms and lets the memories take him away. When his clothes were less ragged and more cheerful, filled out more by muscle instead of pure survival. When he enjoyed living, instead of tolerating it. When he had others who cared for him truly, instead of the walls he had to surround himself with now.
The whole world's watching every move
Take your shot, don't act a fool
All you've got and all you'll ever need
The Hero’s Syndicate was something out of legend to a young Tubbo, him always hanging eagerly onto every word his parents spoke of the society that kept their city safe. He had a great childhood; full of love, affection, and support of the powers that began to show themselves as he aged.
In this world, some people had powers and some didn’t. There never seemed to be a clear pattern in whether you were born with them, pure luck was all it seemed to be.
If you were part of that gifted group, you were given the opportunity to train with The Hero’s Syndicate. A large organisation of people dedicated to protecting the world from the evil some held within their heart, many children wanted to be within those ranks growing up.
Tubbo’s powers showed themselves much earlier than most, causing his first explosion at the tender age of ten with bright fireworks to accompany it. Mere weeks after that happened, when he was still learning to control the wild ability, his parents were killed.
It is still a mystery to this day, how they died. Rumours claimed they had spoken against the evil one too many times that L’Manburg had under its surface, and said wicked people came knocking.
The Hero’s Syndicate was committed to taking in all willing who wanted help with their powers, including children who came from unfortunate circumstances. When Tubbo was given the choice of the Syndicate or foster care after they learned of his ability, he didn’t think twice choosing the first.
He can still remember the first day he walked into the gleaming building in the middle of town, a social service worker signing the forms giving his care over to the Syndicate before leaving with a soft wave. All young children were given a mentor within the guild, someone only a couple years older and usually Sidekicks, so they could still relate to them but with enough maturity to begin guiding their development.
Eret was assigned to Tubbo that day, and they hit it off like they had known each other forever.
The hopes of this integration program for the orphans of L’Manburg was to become future groupings, all Hero’s having to choose a couple people to go on every mission with which they would swear their Hero Oath to protect specifically. They would train together and grow together, many years of experience leading them to become deadly accurate in predicting their fellow Hero’s movements in life and death situations.
It was as close to fate as Tubbo believed, meeting Eret that day. They quickly began to spend every day together, loving being within one another’s presence as the Syndicate started Tubbo’s training.
Even though he practised for several years, his powers were still unpredictable at best. Through touch, he could make an object explode. He could also conjure fireworks out of thin air, blinding light his instructors struggled to guide.
Tubbo had so many scars on him over the years from mishaps with them, never getting a perfect grasp on them.
Three years went by and he was officially sworn in as a Trainee. His circumstances were special, having begun to hone his powers from the age of ten he walked into these classes with a good idea what they would be learning.
Though he still struggled to control the true extent of his ability, he breezed through the theory work provided, having learned the terms out of necessity while being instructed how to contain everything. In special circumstances children like Tubbo started their training early, their abilities being devastating to themselves or others around them.
The best thing about those classes was that's how he met Tommy and Ranboo, another set of people he grew close too quickly. They bantered just as loud as they laughed, but they found kindred spirits among themselves. He still missed his parents desperately those days, remembering the love they freely showered upon him before being ripped away.
But his heart had finally started to let others in, first with Eret and now with Ranboo and Tommy. He spent his evenings after classes playing video games with them, many weekends spent training with one another in the open gyms. Between that and the classes they helped one another study for, things were going well for Tubbo.
All three strove to be the best, spending all hours their bodies weren’t aching and some while beating the crap out of one another with their abilities to practise all manner of situations.
Tommy could use any vegetation around to his benefit, being able to grow potent flowers just with some seeds held in his palm. He was a creative bastard, able to use the greenery and tricky plants to his advantage.
Ranboo could teleport themself and when they grew stronger, another person anywhere they had been before. Fighting them was like trying to throw hands with a ghost, flickering into existence and disappearing everywhere across the sparring mats.
Tubbo held back with his powers, utterly devastating at close range he trained hard in hand to hand combat, figuring he had to have a backup when he couldn’t use his born abilities. With the countless hours of muscle building and training with their resident combat instructor, Sam, he could hold his own when fighting his best friends.
All three were aiming to step up to the next level of the Hero's Syndicate; Sidekick, a position that once they turned sixteen they could apply for. Sidekicks were paired up with Heros to attend to missions across the cities whenever situations arose. The Council that ran the Syndicate would pick the teams depending on the mission's severity and needs, tailoring as much as they could towards the strengths the grouping’s possessed.
One by one, they passed it. First Ranboo as his birthday came first, then Tubbo and last was Tommy. For the first time, the trio of best friends were apart as they all chose different Heros to train beside. A strong woman named Niki took Tommy where Ranboo chose to be tutored by Philza himself.
Things were going well. Tubbo was getting great marks on his record, the missions he attended were successful and he truly enjoyed being grouped up with Eret and their closest friend Wilbur, Phil’s oldest son.
Sidekicks were given the choice of who they wanted to train with, it was the easiest one in the world for a sixteen year old teenager when Tubbo became a Sidekick. Eret, known to the world as Harpocrates and their partner Wilbur, or Aoede, were rarely on the field themselves which was perfect for the young teen with destructive abilities.
They often handled taking inquiries and comforting victims of when humans have too much power to abuse. Tubbo found his home in the office, working beside the kindness of Eret and the fierce protective being that was Wilbur.
As the last line of defence for the Hero's Syndicate base of operations, he enjoyed his work. Ranboo and Tommy would come back spilling about the day they had to the receptive Tubbo, content to be helping others instead of hurting them. Using his natural gift of empathy and patience, he was satisfied listening to the wild adventures his best friends went on while he remained within the Syndicate’s boundaries.
The Syndicate agreed with powers as unpredictable as Tubbo’s despite years of practice, it was better to keep him close. Tubbo felt no anger over this choice, understanding just how widespread the damage would be if he went into any sort of altercations.
He kept up with his physical fitness to spar with his best friends still, but much preferred the journey he had started within the comforting team.
Then…it all changed when Eret and Wilbur were assigned a very dangerous infiltration mission.
Is one bullet in the chamber
Breathe easy, take your aim boy
Ain't nobody gonna save you
So what you gonna do?
All eyes on you
The Manburg Assassin’s Guild was a thorn in The Hero’s Syndicate side for many years. They were the biggest opposition to the absolute hold they strode to have over everyone who was born with unique abilities.
The Syndicate believed if they could start training early enough, they could help avoid corruption the M.A.G. encouraged. The M.A.G. endeavoured to find the most powerful and bring them to their side. A conflict the sides both constantly fought, the Syndicate training anyone they could find with powers to replace the ones M.A.G. stole away.
An ever increasing war that was resulting in injuries and deaths each day, Tubbo remembered the slow burn of anger in his gut listening to Wilbur and Eret comfort another victim or former Hero who lost someone because of M.A.G.
Phil, Kristin and Sneegsnag, the main deciding power on the Syndicate’s Council of decision makers, had found an opening for them to finally get an eye on the inside.
The only problem; there were exactly two Hero agents who held abilities to protect themselves within.
Wilbur could control emotions and your very will using his words alone. Able to allure anyone to either extreme of the emotional scale, he held liquid silver on his tongue, a gift for talking his way out of any situation.
Eret rivalled Wilbur’s power in terms which you wanted against you the least, with a single touch able to make you forget they ever existed. Through a simple hand on the shoulder, they could weave your memories into new ones while removing themselves from the picture. Lately their powers had been honed further to now make the victim forget about others and whole days, able to rob away entire moments of a person's life.
To add the perfect twist to it all, they weren’t well known as Heroes, not leaving the premises very often meant they were very off the radar for appearances in public.
Tubbo’s chest clenched, reliving the panic hearing Phil announce that decision, before the middle-aged blonde man with huge crow-feather wings met Tubbo’s eyes and told him he would not be joining them. His first instinct was to snap back, tell the older Hero fuck that, where they go so does he. But then he caught the grateful eyes of Eret, who told him steadily it was better this way as Tubbo couldn’t use his abilities within M.A.G. as they would love to get their hands on him once learning the damaging nature of his gift.
For not the first time in his life, he hated the ability he was born with. It was barely useful in the best of circumstances, unable to be used or controlled to protect those he cared about most.
Holding his tongue, he forgoes protocol and hugs the elegant Harpocrates right in the middle of the Council room. He would never forget just how torn she looked when they pulled back from each other after a tight embrace.
Telling them both to be safe, he watched them leave with the worst feeling in his gut that night. Tommy and Ranboo did their best to distract him, but as the weeks grew longer with no word, Tubbo got more worried. His best friends joined those concerns, Tommy missing his older brother and Ranboo hurting because his closest companions were.
One night when he was visiting Philza and Sneegsnag getting another mission, word arrived in the form of a text message that the pair of infiltrators had been compromised.
Phil took control of the situation immediately, in the middle of the night summoning a bunch of senior Hero’s to brainstorm how to save two of their own. His son was in danger, and he would take every avenue to save his own flesh and blood.
Tubbo, Tommy and Ranboo retreated to Tubbo and Eret’s rooms within the base of operations as most Hero’s lived on the giant property, and hatched a plan of their own.
Tommy was just as terrified as Tubbo, being that Wilbur was his older brother and had been emotional about him leaving too; he had personal attachment. Ranboo felt bad for their two best friends and promised whatever was needed, they would do it together.
As M.A.G. itched to have all the most powerful abilities within their ranks, the President was a famous person for researching into anyone who caught his attention if their power would be useful to his organisation.
Ranboo, with his gift to teleport across large distances, was his newest attempt to steal away from the Hero’s. A few months back on a routine mission the President was nearly successful, kidnapping a helpless Ranboo back to the facility but not truly accounting for the full extent of Ranboo’s skills. As all the teenager had to do was picture somewhere he had been before and could return the moment he awoke, he asked some general questions before making his escape.
The relief Tubbo and Tommy felt the moment the lanky being walked back through the doors was felt by all, their screaming of joy echoing throughout the main entrance.
Ranboo offered to teleport them one by one back into M.A.G.’s headquarters so they could help Wilbur and Eret at a quicker pace than the Syndicate. It was risky as hell, and they were going in blind, but all three couldn’t plan ahead while panic choked their throats and thoughts.
Preparing for the intrusion, Sneegsnag catches them as they attempt to sneak into the armoury for their suits. The weapon maker for the Syndicate was hesitant to report them, listening to their explanations about how they could get in the fastest to provide ground support for the coming rescue.
As Sneeg lifted his phone to call Philza after changing his stance from listening to concern, Tommy apologised and knocked him out with a poppy flower that sprouted from his hand. The trio of friends geared up, and Ranboo brought Tubbo in first. They were only seconds apart when he reappeared with Tommy, which all three then clued in the chaos they had arrived into.
Gunshots sounded through the hall outside, it appeared they were in a room with a simple bed on one side and a bathroom on the other. All manoeuvred their way over to the door, luckily alone for right now, as they attempted to figure out just what the hell was happening outside.
As Ranboo could escape a bad situation the quickest, he peeked out the door first. Silently, in the quiet between rounds of gunfire, they emerged into the main hallways of M.A.G. after the lanky soul told them it was clear.
Bodies lay here and there down the long expanse of crimson carpeted hall, bullet wounds seeming to be the cause of death on the ones Tubbo was closest too. The closest voices came from around the corner, all ducking behind a couch that was against the one wall as someone came into view.
An attractive man with glimmering gold teeth and a deep cut down the left side of his face emerged, followed by Wilbur in pursuit. Both were tossing banter back and forth, edging on flirting as they both attempted to harm one another, before Eret appeared.
The terrifying President with all sorts of bloody stories around him had a gun to Eret’s temple, and Wilbur immediately froze. Tubbo tossed a panicked look at Ranboo, he insisted Ranboo get Tommy out of there in quick whispering while the others were engaged in negotiations down the hall. Ranboo and Tommy argued until Tubbo explained he was about to use his fireworks to distract the President long enough to let Eret go, for his best friends to go back and update the rest of the Heroes of the situation at hand.
Ranboo took Tommy’s protesting hand with a worried nod, before teleporting them both out as Tubbo stepped out into the open.
Doing as he explained he would, he releases the hold on his powers ready to wreck the place and allow Eret and Wilbur time to escape.
He reminisces on the pure terror on Eret’s face the moment they locked eyes, before Tubbo gritted his teeth and released the dam his abilities were behind.
Explosions rang through the hall, bright fireworks in close quarters causing agonised shouts from all involved.
Slowly reigning them back in his heart broke, realising somehow, Schlatt had kept ahold of Eret with a rage-filled expression looking at the newest arrival to the altercation.
In the chaos, unbeknownst to Tubbo, the President had summoned another to the fight.
A cold blade appeared in front of the small brunette’s own throat, a red and grey haired boy materialising behind him before grabbing him tightly. Digging into the tender flesh of his neck, the boy’s Dutch accent is thick as he threatens Tubbo into not attempting to escape.
Kicking the back of his knees, Tubbo falls into a kneel as the President reveals how he found out about the spies, naming Wilbur and Eret as members of the Hero’s Syndicate in front of other members of M.A.G.
Eyes glittering as he tells them the pairs true powers, before holding a gun to Eret’s head once more and asks Wilbur’s fealty to M.A.G. forevermore.
Desperate and afraid, Wilbur agreed.
Repeating the process with Wilbur, Eret swears their powers over to the President and his desired use of them.
Finally, Schlatt turned to Tubbo and asked him what his stake in the game was. Why should he keep him alive?
Eret had to hold a hand over their mouth as the President strode towards the small brunette with a stubborn expression. Refusing to say a damn thing Schlatt laughed, citing the explosions he watched Tubbo perform and wonders just how he could use Tubbo in the future.
M.A.G. agents forced them all to stand, bringing them to the same room Tubbo had arrived within. Panicked, scared and determined to give one last go at escaping, Tubbo waits for his moment and throws caution to the wind.
Burning agony is all he remembered past that point, before absolute blackness claimed him, and he awoke half blind within the infirmary with Techno leaning over him.
Once the medic realises his patient awakens he braces himself, Tubbo’s first question through cracked lips was if Eret was okay.
Techno quietly gestured beside him, to where Eret lay breathing quickly in the bed adjacent the small brunette. Bandages wrapped across their eyes, burns across most of their skin exposed is sweaty with infection. Tubbo almost falls out of bed in his haste to get closer to them, Techno having to come back and force him back into place.
Lecturing him sternly, he promises to do his best in saving Eret but for now, it was up to her inner strength to fight the infection from the wounds that burned out their eyes.
In a terrible realisation, Tubbo put the pieces together of what happened.
Asking Techno to recount, things slip into place while the pink-haired man explains that in his half-cocked scheme to escape, both Tubbo and Eret were blinded by the bright explosions the boy manifested in his panic-fueled attempt.
Tubbo managed to avoid the worst of it, losing sight in his right eye and scars caked across his cheeks but Techno held little hope for Eret.
After both their once clear sky blue eyes were burned out of their skull an infection had set into the wounds. It was something the elegant creature had been fighting for the past several hours before Tubbo awoke, and showed no sign of letting up anytime soon.
Tubbo comes back to the present while running his fingers down his rough cheekbone, shuddering as the weeks of recovery filled his memories.
Against the worst odds Eret recovered. Blind as a bat and confused, but they did pull through.
Only to be immediately sworn into M.A.G. the moment they could function once more for Schlatt to force them to use their memory abilities in any way he saw fit. Promising consequences if they didn’t comply in the form of hurting those close to Eret, she did as beckoned with a perpetual sorrow surrounding her.
In that hospital bed beside the one he saw as a sibling, he vowed to never use his powers again. During them both recovering he managed to weasel his way onto Techno’s good side, the stern medic’s golden heart showing the smallest shine after the healing time had passed.
Tubbo knew his Syndicate days were behind him, he had heard of the stories with the Hero’s Schlatt managed to get under his thumb.
As guilt guided him, he requested Techno to teach him how to use a gun. The Blade got his name from his proficiency with steel swords, but the stories of his marksmanship were just as aplenty throughout M.A.G. The pink-haired man was initially hesitant but after Tubbo explained his logic of not wanting to use his ability but still needing to be useful in some way to Schlatt to keep the President happy, Techno agreed.
The moment Tubbo was healed enough, Schlatt also had the brunette swear fealty to him. Sealing the deal with handing over an assassination mission he would complete or Wilbur would perish, Tubbo performed his first murder with the President’s orders.
It was one of the first things for his inauguration, for if you killed without good reason that was grounds for expulsion from the Hero’s Syndicate. That night when Tubbo pulled the trigger on his first kill, he signed away his prior life.
Now he stood in the same room he had spent several months in now, regretting how it all went down and hoping there is some chance to escape the M.A.G.
Tubbo knew the Syndicate couldn’t take him back without compromising their morals and rules, but he didn’t want to kill so needlessly anymore. He held no taste for blood, with shaking hands pulling out the tattooing tool he kept within his quarters.
Dabbing the night black ink, he adds another assassination to the lines across the back of his hand, grouped in four lines with a fifth slashed through. There were far too many groups of five now, Tubbo shudders, unable to force himself to count them.
Just as the loud buzzing of the machine drops, someone who Tubbo had been missing desperately appeared in the middle of his bedroom. Quickly wiping a sanitising pad across the raw skin he just carved another line into, Tubbo stands.
Ranboo, in all their tall glory, with split coal and cloud hair that brushed their shoulders, appeared wearing their usual mask that covered the lower half of their face. Dressed in their black suit with highlights of vibrant purple, Tubbo quickly moves to throw himself into their arms.
“Boo!”
“Hey Bo, sorry I haven’t been by in a little bit.” Ranboo mumbles into his hair, placing his chin on top of the boy’s head he was embracing. “Phil is keeping a close eye on me lately and I haven’t had many chances to myself.”
“It’s okay.” Tubbo held him tighter, allowing the affection from someone he loves before pulling back to meet Ranboo’s odd eyes, one jade and the other ruby red. “Why is he keeping a close eye on you?”
“Well I just turned seventeen…” Ranboo fidgets as they separate while the realisation dawns on Tubbo.
“You are a year away from your Hero’s exam.” Tubbo’s heart shatters, how many months had he been here now? Missing his close friends special milestones, while he remained trapped here by the choices he made.
“I didn’t mean to bring it up, I apologise…” Ranboo responds awkwardly, pulling out what they brought him this time. “I can still get you out of here, we can always come back for the other two later…”
Tubbo firmly shakes his head, though he had barely spoken to Eret in months because guilt eroded any words he wished to share his loyalty to both them and Wilbur ran much deeper. “Who’s to say the moment you break me out they are still safe? Schlatt might kill them right then and there. This way we can still learn their inner workings for the day we can all escape, together.”
Ranboo lets out a heavy sigh, knowing there is no way to convince him otherwise. “Besides all that, Tommy wanted me to pass on the message that you are a dumbass for sticking around so long. Which, as we both know, is Tommy speak for–”
“He loves and misses me.” Tubbo replies sadly, looking up to Ranboo’s gaze. “I love and miss you both too.”
Holding a vibrant stargazer lily over to the young M.A.G. agent, it is taped to a letter with Tommy’s messy handwriting on the front. Full of insults and banter, if you read between the lines Tubbo knew he would find genuine worry for himself from the loud blonde.
“I wish I could stay for longer but I have a mission early in the morning I need to be alert for.” Tubbo could hear the heartbreak in the sensitive soul’s words, giving him a warm smile despite the pain within his chest at their separation from one another once more.
“It’s okay Boo, you risk a lot still coming here after all this time. Go, go become the Hero we all wanted to be.”
Ranboo gave a sorrow-filled expression at that, stepping back with the simple words. “It was supposed to be all of us taking that exam together to be Heroes. We were supposed to hold hands while we got the tattoos.”
With an exchange of goodbyes, Ranboo warps from the room leaving vibrant particles in his wake.
Just as that happens, a knock on the door sounds before Techno steps in, eyes wide seeing the particles and the flower Tubbo is clutching close.
One bullet in the chamber
Release it, take your aim, boy
Ain't nobody gonna save you
So what you gonna do?
All eyes on you