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Now that music and the laughter of a happy family no longer echo in this vast mansion, silence has filled the rooms as if the curtains were tightly drawn. It seemed as though this silence had come to stay, enveloping the space in coldness and emptiness. Each morning, Tubbo awakens to the icy void of the bed and the relentless pain in his heart. The absence of the one who was everything to him makes every morning infinitely difficult. There is no desire to eat, drink, or continue living. How can one go on when a beloved person is gone forever? Yet, he must get out of bed and keep living for the sake of his son. Their beautiful boy. He struggles to get his legs out of bed, slips on oversized slippers that clumsily thump across the parquet floor. Approaching the bedside table, he takes his pills and a glass of water, trying not to think about how the morning chores have become too burdensome.
Tubbo goes to his son’s room, gently knocks, and, trying to hide his fatigue, calls out, “Michael, get up, it’s time!” Then, with a heavy heart, he heads to the kitchen. He knows that now-grown Michael will manage on his own and will soon appear for breakfast.
Today, he decides to make pancakes again — a dish they often prepared together. This activity brings him some comfort, taking him back to those warm mornings when Ranboo was by his side. Tubbo takes a bowl from the cupboard, its cold ceramic reminding him of when they used to make batter together, laughing and discussing what breakfast would be like. Every step — from mixing the batter to frying the pancakes — is filled with memories.
“By Prime, Tubbo, it’s eight in the morning, have mercy!” — Ranboo’s voice comes through the walls, as if trying to outshout all the worries.
“Oh, my darling, I can’t hear you,” Tubbo replies sweetly and a bit lazily, trying to mask his own sorrow.
Ranboo, standing on the stairs, seems annoyed by the early wake-up call, but all his irritation fades as soon as he sees Tubbo in his favorite T-shirt and pink apron, preparing breakfast. Ranboo can’t help but smile, watching Tubbo bustle around the kitchen. He hugs him from behind, his hands gently touching his husband's hips, and his lips brush the top of his head.
“Good morning, honey. Need any help?” Ranboo asks, his voice full of care and warmth.
“Oh, you’re such a morning pervert,” Tubbo replies with a pretend grumble. “Just help me out and stir the pancake batter.”
The speakers, moving down the playlist, start playing the track from Coco — “Remember Me.” The melody fills the kitchen with a strangely soothing atmosphere.
Remember me!
I have to go!
Remember me! — the speakers pour out the tearful tune.
Ranboo, turning down the volume, begins to sing along, his voice hoarse but full of sincerity.
Don’t cry and don’t be sad!
Though far away, my love!
Know that these songs I sing are only for you!
Remember me!
There’s no escaping fate! — Tubbo, stirring the batter, continues to sing, as if trying to drown out his anxious thoughts. He watches his husband, noticing how shadows of the past intertwine with the present, until the smell of burning brings him out of this strange trance. Panic flares up like a spark as they both realize that the pancake has burned, and in an instant, they toss it out, mixing laughter and worry. Breakfast preparation ends with long, tender kisses, as if trying to seal this moment in eternity.
The memory brings both warmth and the pain of loss. The burnt pancake once again symbolizes how everything goes wrong without him. Turning off the burner, Tubbo goes to the living room, grabs the speaker, and plays the song. Flipping through the track list, he finds the melody from Coco — “Remember Me.” Silence spreads through the room like fog, and at that moment, Tubbo hears… his voice. The very one he lost.
For a moment, it’s as if his deceased husband has come alive, singing that damned song. Tubbo freezes, feeling reality crumble under the weight of memories. He didn’t know whether to strike out at this ghost or embrace him so tightly that he would never let go again. In the end, he opts for both a smack and a strong hug, rushing to Ranboo to hold him in an embrace and kiss that seems to reunite their souls once more.