Chapter Text
Wow, school desks were not clean.
Like, at all.
Ranboo had buried his face into the cold wood table top, half trying to fall asleep and half just ignoring everything around him in hopes that it would make everything disappear. Unfortunately, it didn’t really seem to be working all that well.
Ranboo’s head snapped up when he heard his name being uttered.
“Mr. Beloved, you’re the only one without a partner, right?”
Woah, why was his teacher calling him out like this?!
Oh. For the group project.
Oops.
“Uh, yes ma’am.” Ranboo said, nodding slightly as he spoke. His voice was croaky from misuse, making him sound ever so slightly like he’d swallowed a frog. It probably wouldn’t be that comfortable to have a frog in your throat, Ranboo thought. They were so slimy and icky! Not to mention the fact that it would probably die. Ranboo was snapped out of his (very philosophical) thoughts by a voice behind him.
“Oh, Ms. Smith, I don’t have a partner either! I can do it with Remba!”
Ranboo twisted in his chair, his spine popping. God, he really, really needed to stretch more. He does occasionally do yoga with Phil, but every time he does, Techno always tells him he looks like a cat. It was kinda sweet coming from Techno, but Hermes once overheard that little remark and has apparently deemed it crucial to call him Meow-Meow till the day he dies.
“Uh, i-it’s actually Ranboo.”
Ranboo’s teacher waved a hand dismissively, though she appeared to be hiding a small snicker behind her hand. She had always been a cruel woman. The fact that she was now forcing the class to do a group project proved Ranboo’s point.
“Yes, Tobias,” she said. “You team up with Ranboo.”
The kid who had spoken earlier - Tobias, apparently - stood up and grabbed his bag and laptop before walking over to Ranboo’s place in the right corner of the room. He plopped his back down on the floor next to the table and grinned at Ranboo before practically throwing himself onto the chair.
“Heyup, bossman!” Tobias said. His voice was high-ish and bubbly and his leg was bouncing up and down rapidly. Whether from excitement or nerves, Ranboo didn’t know. He could empathise with him for it regardless, though.
“Um, hi.” Ranboo said, trying his best to match the other’s energy. “Tobias, right?”
He seemed to deflate at that. “Oh, uh. Yeah. Technically.”
“Oh, I- I’m so sorry!” Ranboo said quickly before dropping his voice and leaning in closer. “I’m really sorry if this is a bit of a personal- a personal question, but are you maybe trans?”
“What?”
“Oh, uh, s-sorry! Didn’t mean to pry!”
Ranboo’s nerves were practically exploding in his veins. Curse him and his awkwardness when meeting new people! Luckily though, the other just grinned and waved their hand with a small chuckle. “No, no! It’s all fine, bossman! Tobias is my name, yes, but it just… eh. It makes me sound like a fuckin’ lawyer or something. It’s gross.”
Ranboo tilted his head sheepishly. “Well, kinda, yeah. It really does.”
“I know! So, uh, just call me Tubbo!” He extended his hand with an expectant smile.
Ranboo looks at Tubbo’s open palm, hesitating for a second before taking it.
“Tubbo?”
Tobias - Tubbo nods. “And you’re… Ranboo, right?”
“Mhm!”
”Well, pleasure to meet you Ranboo! Now, you better be a good partner because I swear to god, if you’re one of those lackey guys, I’ll fucking eat your knees.”
“Oh!”