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It isn't the first time Sneeg has seen him. He's seen him hanging around Hetch, of course, and that immediately makes Sneeg suspicious. It's always from a distance, though, or in flashes and snippets from the times Hetch has Sneeg involved in a show. There are very few Cast members that Hetch seems to let the kid interact with. The safe ones. And even then it's never for long.
So when Hetch shoves the kid into the cafeteria one day, Sneeg is shocked. Shocked, but not too beyond shocked to immediately get his guard up, because, come on. This is the Hetch we're talking about. There's some kind of trap here, some test, some fucked up mind game. There always is.
It's been a long time since Sneeg has truly been able to separate reality from the fiction that Hetch creates, and he's not sure it's even possible anymore. So there's no way in the hell that is Showfall Media that he's falling for whatever this is.
Still, Sneeg observes from afar, sat alone at his table, swirling the water in the crinkly, unmarked plastic bottle like one might swirl a brandy, though Sneeg has never actually done that before, nor does he ever remember seeing it. It just feels right.
The kid looks around at first, apprehensive, before awkwardly going over to an empty table and sitting down. It's a table that's far enough away from Sneeg to be comfortable, but close enough that Sneeg can still observe him pretty well. The kid looks like he's about to cry. Sneeg glances away, taking a sip of his water, trying to ignore any shred of sympathy he might be feeling for him.
By the time he looks back, though, Charlie is sat down at the table, chatting with him, because of course he is, and Sneeg tries to catch what glances he can of the kid's reactions. Difficult, though, with Charlie in the way. Not to mention that mask.
At some point, Charlie leaves, and the kid notices Sneeg looking at him. He stares at Sneeg with, as far as Sneeg can tell, a blank expression. It's a bit hard to tell with that mask covering the lower half of his face. Sneeg stares back, refusing to be intimidated. Charlie comes back after that, and the kid must've asked about him, because Charlie suddenly turns around, waving his arms to get Sneeg's attention.
"Hey! Hey Sneeg!"
Sneeg holds out his arms and gives Charlie a look that clearly says, 'what the hell, man, leave me alone'. Well, clear to anyone that isn't Charlie.
"Come meet Ranboo, he's new!"
Sneeg flips the bird at Charlie before realising that, if he doesn't go over there, Charlie will just endlessly keep this up, so with great reluctance and trepidation, he makes his way over to the table.
"Sneeg, this is Ranboo. Ranboo, this is Sneeg." Charlie cheerfully introduces.
Ranboo.
An odd name, but not that much odder than some others here. Sneeg unwillingly remembers a time (back when he was a bit more naive) when he asked Hetch what his real name was, because no person in their right mind would name their baby 'Sneegsnag'. Hetch told him it was some bullshit like 'Brendan Thro', which Sneeg is convinced that Hetch made up on the spot to mess with him because of how ridiculously middle school protagonist-y it sounds. Of course, he can never be sure.
Ranboo, meanwhile, awkwardly and hesitantly waves at Sneeg, not even opening his hand all the way, as if he hasn't been properly taught how to wave. Sneeg looks back at Charlie for a moment, rolling his eyes.
"Yeah, Charlie, I heard you when you were yelling across the cafeteria at me."
Sneeg then looks back at Ranboo, really getting a good look at him for the first time. And what he sees threatens to break his heart.
The kid is incredibly pale, as if he's never seen the sun before. The colour of his fluffy hair is difficult to discern in the fluorescent lights, but he thinks it might be dirty blonde. He has creases under his hooded grey eyes that are clearly from sleep deprivation. And Sneeg really hopes that his clothes are just really baggy on him, because thinking about the alternative for too long is going to make him feel sick.
But Sneeg reins himself in. After what happened with Charlie… after what might've happened to Frank… Sneeg can't afford to get close to anyone. Not again.
"You're the kid who's always hanging around Hetch, right?" Sneeg asks. Ranboo seems surprised at that at first, but then his shoulders tense up awkwardly and he stares down at the table.
"I… I guess so, yeah." Ranboo mumbles.
"You guess so?"
Ranboo looks back up at Sneeg, frustration on what he can see of his face.
"It's not like I want to!" Ranboo argues. Of course he doesn't want to. Sneeg can't think of anyone who would. He snorts derisively at the idea.
"Right…" He shouldn't sound sarcastic here, but he's not just going to trust this.
"I don't! Hetch is just…!" Ranboo seems to be at a loss for words, and Sneeg takes a bit of pity on him here. He can't imagine Ranboo has gotten a lot of opportunities to insult Hetch. Thankfully, Sneeg has.
"A bastard fuckwad?" Sneeg puts forward one of his tamer insults. Ranboo looks absolutely blown away. Charlie looks affronted.
"Sneeg, you can't just fucking swear, he's… how old are you, Ranboo?"
"Uh… ten? Eleven?"
Holy shit the kid doesn't even know his own age. And he's tiny! If Ranboo is anywhere near the age he says he is… Sneeg fights down the urge to consider killing Hetch. He doesn't think it would work, anyway.
"So you don't know?" Sneeg asks.
"Do you?" Ranboo sounds frustrated. Sneeg actually does know how old he is, but he can feel himself falling into the trap he's almost certain Hetch is setting.
"Yes."
Sneeg takes this as his cue to leave.
Things don't necessarily fall into a routine, but the change settles fairly quickly. Every so often, Hetch will dump Ranboo at the cafeteria and let him hang out there for a couple hours before coming back to collect him. Even though Sneeg hasn't talked to him since, it always makes his stomach twist to see Hetch grab Ranboo by the wrist and drag him away, or to be able to put a name to the face that he sees occasionally when he's on set before those damn cameras start rolling.
He certainly tries to keep an eye on him whenever the two happen to be in the cafeteria, though. Sneeg isn't sure what angle Hetch is playing with this, but there has to be something. Some trap, some trick, some elaborate bit. There must be, because there always is.
It's one of these times when the two are in the cafeteria together when his tune changes.
Sneeg is, as usual, leaning up against a pillar, sourly watching Charlie pull out a container of slime to show to Ranboo. He's been keeping an eye on him, just to make sure. He ignores the part of him that feels like it's screaming to do something, to get that kid out of here, every time he looks at him. Even if this isn't a trap (which he's still convinced it is) Sneeg can't even get himself out. How could he do so with a whole other person?
Suddenly, Ranboo stands up, backing away from Charlie. He looks absolutely horrified, paler than he already is. Sneeg raises an eyebrow. He doesn't see the big deal. It's just slime. Still, he's curious.
"Ranboo, what's wrong?" Charlie asks.
"What do you mean what's…! Can't you see it? Smell it… it's…" Ranboo nearly gags. Sneeg nearly feels sorry for him until he says, "I need to see Hetch. I need to get the mask off."
It raises essentially every single one of Sneeg's red flags to hear Ranboo say that. From what Sneeg has been able to pick up, Ranboo doesn't seem to like Hetch, and now he wants to see him?
"Can't you just take it off? What do you need to see Hetch for?" Sneeg snaps. Ranboo looks at him with the most helpless expression Sneeg has ever seen.
"I can't. I just. Can't." Ranboo sounds so broken. So scared. Like he's trying to explain something that he doesn't understand. In this case, it's incredibly likely that Ranboo really doesn't understand. Sneeg knows enough about what Hetch is like to consider it. Ranboo's desperation to get that thing off of his face cracks a little bit of the hardened exterior of Sneeg's heart. Hetch will probably kill him for this later, but he can't just leave Ranboo like this.
"Here, let me." Sneeg moves forward to remove the mask, but he gets maybe a quarter of an inch away from touching the straps before Ranboo screams at him and backs away like Sneeg is going to hurt him.
Oh.
Oh, god.
The pieces begin to fall into place now. Sneeg knows exactly what's going on. Whatever it is Charlie is showing to Ranboo, Ranboo isn't seeing slime. Sneeg doesn't know which one is real; the slime or whatever Ranboo is seeing. And he's just aware enough to know that he's never going to be able to truly distinguish which is which. But he knows that whatever Ranboo is seeing, it's real to him, and it's scaring him enough to the point where he looks like he's going to throw up. Sneeg then realises that Ranboo is going to throw up.
Sneeg quickly considers his options; what will minimise the amount of damage Hetch is going to inflict on him, and more importantly, the damage he's going to inflict on Ranboo? Because there's no doubt in his mind that Hetch has been hurting him, to put it incredibly fucking mildly.
Sneeg doesn't know if the mask Ranboo is wearing will even allow him to throw up, meaning that if Sneeg does nothing, it will put Ranboo through a lot of pain, and Sneeg doesn't know if it would physically damage him. That isn't an option, not really. He's got no idea how Hetch will react.
The other option, Sneeg getting the mask off, while it isn't completely impossible, is too difficult for the payoff if Sneeg can even pull it off. He'd likely have to hurt Ranboo, and that's the last thing he wants to do right now. It would definitely take almost all the blame off of him, but with how long it's taken for Hetch to let Ranboo interact with other people, he doubts attacking him is going to convince Hetch to keep letting Ranboo do so. And he reallydoesn't want Hetch to be the only person that Ranboo talks to. That can't be good for anyone. And he's sure Hetch will find some way to pin some kind of blame on Ranboo anyway.
So that only leaves taking Ranboo to Hetch to get the mask taken off. The idea terrifies Sneeg; he knows what Hetch is like, but he imagines Ranboo knows even more with how often he's around him. And Hetch is anything but reasonable. He hates that he's putting some responsibility on Ranboo here, but he assures himself that he will do whatever he can to lighten the load.
"Are you okay?" Charlie's voice butts into Sneeg's thoughts, and Charlie is the last thing either he or Ranboo need right now.
"Charlie, shut the hell up," Sneeg bends down, putting his hands on Ranboo's shoulders, looking him in the eyes. He's incredibly cold. He can feel his collarbones through his shirt. Jeez, does Hetch ever feed this kid?!
"Where is Hetch? Do you know where he is?" Sneeg asks seriously.
"He's… he's in one of the warehouse sets, I think? Upstairs. Down the hall." Ranboo says shakily. Sneeg nods, stealing himself, before he wraps one arm around Ranboo's shoulder and puts his other hand on the same to steady him. Sneeg leads Ranboo out of the cafeteria and is able to find the warehouse set easily enough, but his head hurts when he tries to see what the actors are doing. This one isn't for him. Sneeg is more than fine with that, though.
When Hetch notices Sneeg nearly carrying a shaking and pale Ranboo, he angrily stops the production and storms over to the two. Sneeg involuntarily tenses.
"What are you doing here!? I am working—!" He notices that Hetch is talking to Ranboo, not him, and that immediately makes him nervous. It makes him more nervous when Ranboo actually interrupts Hetch as he's speaking.
"I need the mask off."
"What?" Hetch's low growl puts Sneeg even more on edge.
"Hetch, please, I need the mask off! I need it off!" Ranboo insists. If Sneeg weren't so concerned with keeping Ranboo safe, he'd have been proud. But he is so incredibly terrified. Because, even though it's very quick, Sneeg catches Hetch glancing at him for a split second before he focuses back on Ranboo. Neither of them are out of danger right now.
"Are you seriously—!" Hetch starts, but Sneeg isn't having it anymore.
"Dude, do you even see him right now! He's shaking like crazy and he's a completely different shade of white! If he needs it off, then get it off!"
Hetch glares at Sneeg with suspicion, but he seems to realise that Ranboo is, in fact, going to be sick. Hetch sighs in annoyance before grudgingly removing the mask. Ranboo practically bolts into the next room, nearly tripping over his own ankles. Sneeg follows closely behind.
By the time Sneeg gets in there, Ranboo is violently retching into the most vile looking toilet Sneeg has ever seen. The toilet is also in a surgery themed room, which like… okay then. Sneeg doesn't take the time to critique the coherency of the room's decor, though, because he rushes over to Ranboo, who is… not doing well.
He's shaking and sweaty, and Sneeg can even see tears in his eyes. Sneeg gently rubs circles on Ranboo's back, softly reassuring Ranboo that he's here, that Ranboo is going to be okay. Sneeg feels a punch to his own gut when he realises that that's something he can't guarantee; that the poor kid is going to stay okay. That he'll keep being here. But, at least for now, it's the truth.
This goes on long enough that Ranboo is straight up ugly-sobbing by the time he finally finishes puking. Sneeg wraps his arms around Ranboo, not caring that he's probably getting really gross right now just from touching this kid, gently rocking him back and forth. Ranboo's hair and clothes are damp from sweat and his skin is freezing cold. No wonder he's shivering. It's when Sneeg feels Ranboo look up that he realises that Hetch has been watching the two this whole time.
"Do you mind?" Sneeg asks sarcastically, ignoring the chill that runs down his spine. It's difficult to even see Hetch's mask in the dim lighting of the room, but Sneeg can tell he's looking between Ranboo and Sneeg, the dim glint that catches on his eyes the only signifier that they're flicking back and forth.
Duck, duck, duck…
"Sneeg."
Goose.
Sneeg swallows a bit.
"But—!" He's not sure what he's going to argue that would actually make Hetch listen to him; that Ranboo needs him? That he was just puking moments ago, can't he just let him be comforted for two seconds before he butts in?
"Ranboo will be fine. Leave them." Hetch insists.
Sneeg doesn't want to leave him. He doesn't have any guarantee that Hetch won't hurt him. But he also knows that the more he acts out on Ranboo's behalf, the more attention he draws to him, the more danger he could put him in. So Sneeg does what Hetch says, but he sets Ranboo down as gently as he can, which doesn't feel like it means much, given how cold and disgusting the hard concrete of the floor is. But it's something. Hetch jerks his head as an order for Sneeg to get the fuck over there, but Sneeg looks back down at Ranboo for a moment, ignoring the pain behind his eyes as he does, stealing himself before walking over to Hetch.
"What did you do?" Hetch snarls at Sneeg. Sneeg puts his hands up in something that could either be read as surrender or defence.
"I didn't do shit! If anything, it's Charlie and whatever's being put in his dumb slime—!" Hetch grabs the front of Sneeg's shirt and slams him into the wall, nearly knocking the wind out of him. Sneeg struggles against letting out a gasp. He can't show any of that. He needs to be strong for Ranboo, needs to keep Hetch's attention off of him.
"Let me ask you again, what the fuck did you do." If there wasn't a mask in the way, Sneeg feels like Hetch would be practically spitting on him at this point.
"I… I didn't!" Sneeg hates how pathetic he sounds. "I didn't do anything! Ranboo just kept saying that he needed the mask off, and that he needed you to do it."
Sneeg snarls out 'you' as if it's an accusation. One Hetch would never outright confirm—not with anything believable, anyway—but one he'd never deny, either.
"If you so much as touched that mask, Sneeg, I swear to god—!”
"He wouldn't let me!"
Something shifts in Hetch's expression.
"So you did try to take it off." Hetch sounds weirdly happy about something. Sneeg isn't sure what it is, but he's sure he's fucked up. Because he realises that he's confirmed what Hetch is suspicious of. That Sneeg is trying to help Ranboo escape. And to be clear, he wasn't before, but he's absolutely going to start now. He can't exactly blame Hetch for having that assumption, though, because as reasonable as Hetch isn't, given his and Sneeg's history… yeah. But it's an assumption that, in Sneeg's mind, puts Ranboo more into the line of fire than he'd like.
"No, not like…! It isn't like that! I didn't…! I wasn't trying anything! I swear!" Sneeg doesn't know any way he can twist this that keeps Ranboo out of harms way.
"Yeah, I'm sure." Hetch bites back sarcastically.
"Stop." Ranboo's voice cuts through the argument, and Hetch turns his head to look at him. Which is exactly everything that Sneeg doesn't want. Ranboo is struggling to try and get himself off of the ground and it's painful to watch. And that's not just because, for some reason, looking at Ranboo's whole, exposed face seems to hurt the back of Sneeg's eyes. Like he's not supposed to be seeing it.
This one isn't for you.
"Stop it. Please."
"Ranboo, it's okay," Sneeg can't help but attempt to reassure him. "Don’t worry, it's fine—"
"Quiet, Ranboo," Sneeg is almost glad that Hetch cuts him off. Why is he trying to make promises he can't keep? "Lie back down, you're just going to hurt yourself."
Okay, now that is something Sneeg can't help but scoff at. Because is Hetch actually fucking serious right now?
"Like you actually care about that…"
Hetch's head snaps back towards Sneeg, which is both a great relief and a great inducer of anxiety for him.
"They're not your concern. I'll take care of him. Or…" Hetch's voice goes uncharacteristically soft as a light goes off in his eyes. "Is that what you're scared of? You're scared of what I'll do to him, aren't you?"
Sneeg's posture goes rigid.
"Don't…! Don't you dare touch him…!" As angry as Sneeg tries to sound, he can't keep the fear out of his voice.
"I could, you know. I really could. It would be so easy. I could strap him down to that table, tear them open, force you to watch, to just stand there and do nothing," There's a quiet giddiness to Hetch's voice now as he needles Sneeg, and Sneeg shuts his eyes to keep himself from glancing at the operating table. It doesn't stop him from imagining that tiny kid restrained to it, unable to fight back, as Hetch… no. He doesn't want to think about it.
"Stop it."
Hetch doesn't, of course. He just keeps going.
"Or an even better idea, I could make you do it. That would be funny, wouldn't it? Make you rip open the guts of a kid after they've nearly puked them out?"
"Stop. Just stop."
"You'd probably kill them if you did, honestly, but that's not too big of a concern to me. And it's not like you have Ranboo's experience, either. They've gotten a lot better. Using the ones that are on their last legs has been one hell of a motivator. Not without a few mishaps, unfortunately. I know you miss Frank."
Sneeg's eyes snap open, reeling with the implications of this. Is Hetch really… no. No, there's no way he's been… there's no way Ranboo would… This has to just be something to mess with him! The idea of Ranboo killing Frank is ludicrous, and yet… even if he doesn't want to believe it, Hetch is definitely the type to make a kid tear into someone.
To have them kill.
To murder.
Anger surges within Sneeg for a moment. White-hot, nearly blinding anger.
Frank is dead.
Ranboo killed Frank.
But as he looks at Ranboo, he can't feel any of the boiling hatred he suddenly wants to feel towards him. How could he? Ranboo is a child.And the Hetch is a monster. Of course he was just doing what he needed to do to survive. Hasn't Sneeg? Didn't Frank? Doesn't everyone here, whether they understand it or not? The way Hetch worded it, it sounds as though it were an accident. And, from what he can make out of Ranboo's expression despite the pain behind his eyes, he has no idea what the fuck Hetch is even talking about.
Ranboo killed Sneeg's best friend on accident.
And he doesn't even remember it.
Hetch is the one at fault here. Hetch is always the one at fault here. Hetch is the one that takes, the one that reconstructs, the one that makes and breaks people's entire realities. This is exactly what Hetch wants, and he almost fell for it. How could Sneeg have even remotely considered blaming Ranboo for any of this?
He can blame Hetch plenty, though. He's actually really good at it. He's got years of experience. He turns his attention back to Hetch, glaring at him as though he wants to murder him. He does want to murder him. And he'd be doing everyone a favour, too. A public service. Putting the Hetch out of the world's misery.
Still, Sneeg tries to keep his composure.
"Better yet, instead of just watching you, I could film it!" Hetch continues, clearly ecstatic at the performance Sneeg is giving him, but still pushing it. Still trying to get him to break.
"I couldn't broadcast it for obvious reasons, but it's been awhile since I've gotten to work on a purely personal project. Besides, it could be great educational material for Ranboo; a perfect example of everything that you shouldn't do when you tear someone apart—!"
Well. At least Sneeg tried to keep his composure.
He shoves Hetch off of him, hard enough that Hetch actually stumbles a bit. From what Sneeg can see of Hetch's expression, this doesn't enrage or even irritate him at all, the sick fuck. He just looks excited. Buzzed.
Evil, sick, fucking BASTARD.
"I SAID STOP IT! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU, HE'S JUST A KID! LET HIM GO!" Sneeg can feel the salt pricking at the corners of his eyes. He can't cry. Not now. Not with Ranboo watching him, needing him to be strong, to protect him from Hetch, to keep him safe.
Meanwhile, Hetch let out a noise. An almost strangled, barking noise. It takes Sneeg a moment to realise it's laughter. Hetch finds this funny. Of course he finds it fucking funny—!
"You're barely more than a kid yourself, Sneeg," Hetch reminds him before clicking his tongue in mock disappointment. "And saying the 'fuck'-word in front of a child… You know, I thought that being a little older and wiser would be good for you. Guess not. You're just that same, disrespectful brat that you were when I first got ahold of you, and you know what? I bet for anyone you knew, it was a fucking relief—"
The white-hot rage overtakes Sneeg again and he lunges at Hetch. In that rush of adrenaline, he's not sure what happens, but the next thing he knows, he's on the floor; flat on his stomach, wheezing, Hetch's knee pressed into his back, his is face sticky with blood, feeling phantoms of pain that should be there but aren't. Hetch, meanwhile, doesn't seem like he's even broken a sweat.
He hopes he at least got a hit in.
Out of the corner of Sneeg's eye, he can see Ranboo once again struggling to get up, and this time he's actually able to awkwardly half-army crawl towards Sneeg.
No.
No, no, no, no…!
Once Ranboo gets in range of Hetch's grasp, Hetch does exactly that; grabbing the scruff of Ranboo's shirt, pinning him down like a squirming bug. Like an insect being mounted on foam board while it's still alive. Sneeg thinks he can hear Ranboo's ribs hitting the concrete as Hetch slams him back onto the ground.
He has to be in so much pain right now, but still, Ranboo struggles, trying to fight back, screaming at Hetch to let him go. Sneeg would be so proud right now if this wasn't exactly the situation he was trying to avoid.
"Calm down. Believe it or not, I don't really want to hurt you right now. You did everything right." Hetch's voice has two things in it that Sneeg has never heard before—genuine affection and pride. Pride not in himself, but in another person.
It must shock Ranboo about as much as it shocks Sneeg, because Ranboo stops struggling, and he gets this look on his face like either his brain is trying to load or like he's on the verge of an existential crisis.
"Just relax. Lie back down. It's all fine. Plus, you were practically hacking up your guts a minute ago. You must be tired." The sweetness in Hetch's voice makes Sneeg want to follow Ranboo's example by projectile vomiting.
Ranboo looks directly into Sneeg's eyes, terrified and confused, but trusting.
I don't know what to do. Tell me what to do.
Sneeg thinks through Ranboo's options. Best case scenario is Sneeg beating the shit out of Hetch and escaping with Ranboo, fucking off to someplace that Showfall Media will never find either of them. Leave all of it behind.
But it's not realistic. Not right now, anyway.
For some unfathomable reason, Hetch doesn't want to hurt Ranboo right now. If Ranboo keeps trying to fight back, that might change. He doesn't know what's gotten Hetch so happy, and in any other case he wouldn't want to, but this good mood seems like it will only be beneficial to Ranboo.
Through the shooting pain behind his eyes, the one that's starting to give him a migraine, he sees how strong Ranboo really is. Not physically, but he's wilful. Tenacious. He'll keep fighting until he can't anymore, keep going until he collapses, limping past the finish line and then some, but he's tired. He's so, so tired. And it breaks Sneeg's heart. If Hetch is, for once in his life, going to let someone off easy…
Sneeg bites his lip and hesitantly nods.
It's okay. You can rest now.
Ranboo drops to the floor like a stone, eyes glazing over. He's exhausted. But Hetch finally lets him go, and Sneeg can't help but feel relief wash over him. Even as Hetch lifts him up off the ground, dragging him away. Even as he dreads whatever pain he isn't going to remember.
At least for now, Ranboo is safe. And Sneeg is going to figure out how to keep it that way.