Chapter Text
Ranboo sat at the rough wooden table in the Syndicate meeting room, long legs folded awkwardly beneath it, fingers absentmindedly twisting at the hem of his sleeve. Techno sat across from him, polishing an axe with slow, practiced movements, the scrape of the whetstone steady and rhythmic.
“You’re quiet,” Techno remarked after a moment. “More than usual.” Ranboo blinked, looking up. “I am?”
Techno raised an eyebrow.
“You’ve been staring at the same spot on the table for, like, three minutes.”
“Oh,” the younger said said. “Sorry. I was just… thinking.“
“Dangerous activity,” Techno replied dryly.
Ranboo smiled faintly, but it felt delayed, like it took too long to reach his face. His head buzzed, a low, dull ache settling behind his eyes. He shifted in his seat, suddenly uncomfortable. “You okay?” Techno asked, sharper this time. “Yeah,” Ranboo said automatically. “Just tired.” It was true. He was tired. He hadn’t been sleeping well, and his thoughts had felt… fuzzy all day. Like someone had wrapped his brain in wool.
Techno studied him for a second longer than necessary.
“Get some rest,” he said eventually. “We’re done here anyway.”
Ranboo nodded, pushing himself to his feet. The room tilted slightly when he stood, and he had to grab the edge of the table to steady himself. Techno noticed. “You sure you’re—”
“I’m fine,” Ranboo cut in quickly, a little too quickly. “I just need some air.”
Techno didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t push. “Don’t wander off and die,” he said instead.
Ranboo huffed a quiet laugh. “I’ll try not to.”
He left before Techno could say anything else.
~~~~~~~~~~
The hallway felt too long.
Ranboo’s footsteps echoed strangely, each one a fraction slower than the last. His head was pounding now, the ache spreading until it filled his skull completely. The torches along the wall felt too bright, their light stabbing at his eyes.
’Okay,’ he thought. ‘Something’s wrong.’
His chest felt tight, breaths shallow and unsatisfying no matter how deeply he tried to inhale. His hands shook when he clenched them, fingers tingling unpleasantly. He stopped walking.The world tilted. Ranboo pressed a hand to the stone wall, grounding himself, but even the cold surface didn’t help. Heat crawled up his spine, settling uncomfortably under his skin. He swallowed, nausea rolling in sharp waves.“I’m… okay,” he murmured into the empty space, voice unsteady. It was a lie. His vision blurred at the edges, spots dancing in front of his eyes. He tried to take another step. His knees collapsed from under him. He braced himself for the impact, but hands caught him before he could hit the ground.
“…Ranboo?”
He blinked hard, vision swimming until Techno’s red cloak came into focus.
“Oh,” Ranboo said faintly. “Hi, Techno.” Techno’s expression darkened immediately. “You did not make it very far.” Ranboo tried to laugh, but it came out weak. “Guess not.” Techno’s hand tightened on his arm as he steadied him. “You feel warm,” he said. “Like, concerningly warm.” “I didn’t mean to,” Ranboo said automatically. “I thought it was just—”
“Ranboo,” Techno interrupted, firm but notangry. “You don’t have to justify being sick.” Ranboo swallowed. His head felt too heavy to hold up. “I don’t feel good,” he admitted quietly. “Yeah,” Techno said. “Its pretty obvious.”
Ranboo leaned heavily into Techno as they made their way to the cabin, his steps uneven, breath shaky. Every few seconds, another apology slipped out before he could stop it. “Sorry.” Techni ignored it. “Sorry, I—”
“Kid,” Techno said, exasperated but gentle. “If you apologise one more time, I’m confiscating the word.” That earned a weak huff of laughter from Ranboo, followed by a cough.
Techno guided him inside, the warmth of the cabin wrapping around them immediately. Ranboo barely registered being sat on the bed before exhaustion crashed over him completely.
The rest came in fragments. A blanket pulled up around his shoulders. A hand against his forehead.
“You’re burning up,” Techno muttered.
Ranboo groaned softly. “Is it bad?”
“Itss… not, great, per say, but your gonna to live.”
“That’s… good.”
~~~~~~~~~
Ranboo drifted in and out of sleep, waking to the sound of Techno moving around the cabin, always nearby. Whenever he woke, Techno was there. Sitting. Watching. Making sure he was still breathing evenly. At one point, Ranboo jolted awake, heart racing, panic clawing at his chest. Techno immediately reached out his hand for him. “Hey, hey, hey” he said calmly “Ranboo, Ranboo, I’m here” “I couldn’t—” he whispered. “I couldn’t remember where I was.” Techno was at his side instantly. “You were safe,” he said. “You’re with me.”
Ranboo hesitated. “…Could you stay?”
“I never left.”
Then the shivering started. Techno pulled him closer without comment, an arm solid and warm around his shoulders. Ranboo melted into it, fingers curling weakly into Techno’s cloak.
“I hate needing help,” Ranboo murmured.
Techno’s grip tightened just a little. “doesnt make you weak.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
the end.