Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When Niki finally saw the notification of Ranboo joining it felt quite simply like a long time coming. She had been trying to convince the hybrid to leave Hypixel for a server where death, respawn and fighting wasn’t such a necessity for almost two months now. To come omewhere they could learn social skills, make more than three friends, heal some old wounds maybe.
Niki had known Ranboo for a couple years, could confidently say she was their first friend. She was there to help when people looking at their face became harder and harder. Was there when they made their first mask together. Gifted a diary when Ranboo’s memory got worse the more they died and respawned through fights, and was there to celebrate when they won those fights more frequently and the head injuries stopped. She was still their most frequent visitor after she moved into L’manburg.
She wasn’t there as often when Shlatt became president, and was there even less as tensions got worse and worse. It would be easy to say that it was just too risky to leave at the time but that probably wasn’t the entire truth.
The guilt and grief from Wilbur’s death was doubled when she saw Ranboo for the first time in about six months. The Endspeak was almost more likely to be heard than Common was, and they didn’t take their mask off when the two of them were together in private anymore. She hadn’t been able to help Wilbur. But she would help Ranboo.
She passed Dream walking the opposite way as she dipped through the walls surrounding spawn which was… a little concerning but Dream had agreed to let Ranboo join to start with so it probably wasn’t too big of an issue. There had been a couple notifications she hadn’t looked at on her communicator which was sort of ominous though.
She found Ranboo in the clearing with their back to her and fiddling with something in their hands. They looked in one piece at least.
“Ranboo!”
They turned to her and she caught a glimpse of an arrow in their hands before it vanished to their inventory. But the thought was easily brushed aside when warm arms took her off her feet and into the air, a pleasant and familiar purr that was more felt than heard rumbling from Ranboo’s chest. She giggled at the signature greeting as she hugged back.
“You're acting as though I didn’t visit you just last week!” She exclaimed as she was set back on her feet.
“I’m excited,” They murmured, letting one hand drop into hers as their head pivoted observing the area, “And a little nervous I think, actually. This is my first time meeting you on your territory. And Dreams’ a bit intimidating, killed me twice already.”
Niki wishes she was surprised about the killing but she was more shocked that Dream hadn’t done more than that. After L’manburg she thought that he’d be a bit more controlling than just letting Ranboo in with a simple request from Niki and two non-canon deaths.
“He didn’t bother you about the mask though right?” She prodded. Steering the topic away from the deaths Ranboo spoke so casually about, but also address what she knew they had been most anxious about leading up to this.
Ranboo let out a short loud ha!, the kind where Niki could see their chin dip beneath the bottom of the long mask for a second. It made her chest tingle to hear it.
“Nope! That might be a bit um, hypocritical though. Do you think anyone else will be bothered?”
Niki gave the mask a courtesy glance over, it was a newer one they had designed together. Plain black it was quite long, passing below where she knew Ranboo’s jaw to be, and curving around their head till it hit the hairline. It had been Ranboo’s main concern about joining a server where they’d be interacting with people up close more frequently rather than briefly passing in battles. They had kept the usual details though, a white line for the mouth with two pointed dips like fangs, and two closed eyes just above it, you could see the shimmering of enchantments that let them see if you were particularly eagle eyed.
“If they are,” She grins, “You can just punt them!”
Ranboo chitters back. “I’ll try reign myself back a bit, so long as you Punz and Eret don’t say much. I’d rather work on not being socially awkward. You said there wasn’t too much conflict here anymore right?”
The uncertainties Niki had about inviting a Hypixle champion, who didn’t have a whole lot of experience in long term relationships, into a server that relatively recently came out of a war spiked. But Ranboo could do well being around more people and had already agreed to stay near her in L’manburg. She’d just keep a close eye on them.
“Not in a while no.” She stated. “We’ll stick together yeah?”
Ranboo made two quick rumble noises that she was pretty sure meant yes, and they started walking off together. This was one person she didn’t want to… wouldn’t lose.

Chapter Text

Fundy was pretty excited that there was another hybrid on the server. Not that there wasn’t any already but not as many that stood out as much as he did, and Ranboo definitely stood out. Having never left the server himself, he was kinda curious to pick Ranboo’s brain about what it was like. Were humans real assholes to people who were different, or were people pretty accepting like they were here?

Calling him a furry didn’t count, that was just gentle teasing and people would stop if he asked them to he was sure. The people he grew up with like Tubbo and Tommy were fine with him being trans so there’s no reason they wouldn’t respect his more hybrid boundaries. He just didn’t bother to tell them cause it was light teasing.

It had been several days since they had started building the shop together, since getting the land next to Niki and Puffy. Fundy had to admit honestly, sometimes it was fun to stir up a little trouble. Was it really so hard for people to remember he was around? Besides, Puffy had given them the materials to use and he had heard Ranboo and Niki whispering and smiling to the side most of the time. Well Niki had been smiling anyway. Ranboo he had no idea.

The building was finished now but they were still missing furniture. A couple people had come and tried some of the samples already, but Ranboo had suggested making more than just lemon flavour. Fundy was sitting on the bench as Ranboo carefully squished a watermelon with the blade of his knife, before letting the water slide onto a snow ball in a bowl. Fundy had absolutely no clue what Ranboo’s face looked like but he could imagine it in absolute concentration based on how silent he had been the entire time.

“There!” Ranboo passed the bowl over with a flourish. “Tell me what it’s like.”

“You know,” Fundy took the bowl and placed it on his crossed legs. “I could have done the cutting.”

Ranboo didn’t say anything for a second but his shoulders sagged and he let out a deep sign. Mustn’t have thought of it then? Fundy scooped some of the frozen pink ice and hummed. It was good, but he’d make it instead next time.

A very, very faint gasp reached his ears and he looked up to see Ranboo’s hand flinch away from the spillage next to the cutting board. Even without the mask Fundy doubted anyone without his ears would have heard it.

“Really Ranboo?” After a bit of searching Fundy found some spare carpet in his inventory. Eh it would do. “After all that?”

Ranboo gave a soft laugh as he took the carpet and dabbed his hand. “Sorry sorry! It just surprised me is all. But look,” Ranboo held up his had and gave a small wave. “It’s not that bad.”

“Waaaait wait wait wait,” Fundy took the hand and turned it back and forth. There were smaller cut scars but the most prominent thing was the grey, almost white scared skin. The most obvious one was one the palm that, oh wow, it smelled like burning.

“Is that just from watermelon? How sensitive to water are you? And why the hell didn’t you ask me to cut it?”

“Ah well I mean, I used snowballs a lot at Hypixel so my hands aren’t really so sensitive anymore, but yeah water burns pretty bad.” Ranboo took his hand back and flexed the fingers, totally casual, like it was no big deal at all.

“Shouldn’t you be wearing gloves or something?” Fundy frown. Why would you use snow balls in a PVP server? It felt a little like he was missing something.

“I usually did. This wasn’t really my day-to-day wear,” Ranboo gestured towards the suit jacket folded on the bench.” But I wanted to make a good first impression, so I wore this instead.”

Fundy tilted his head. “What about that crown you had?” He only saw it from a distance before Ranboo and Niki had reached the community house, but it had definitely been there.

Ranboo made a strange warbling sound and tilted his head, “Oh- oh! You saw that? Yeah I put it in an Ender chest, it’s a bit too recognisable.”

Fundy hummed and sat back a little. For someone who displayed their hybrid traits so openly Ranboo seemed very… conformative? “Why do you care so much?” He settled with asking. “Surely the people here aren’t that different from Hypixel?”

“Well, I mean not really but...” Ranboo sighed heavily and sat next to Fundy on the opposite side of the watermelon. At this rate they didn’t even need chairs.

“It’s just… I don’t understand human culture as well as I could? I’ve had a couple friend that were humans explain it to me but… I prefer displaying my hybrid traits more than a lot of people are comfortable with. This idea of living in such a small server where the relationships are long term and, and you can’t just avoid talking to someone who’s rude…” Ranboo kicked his feet against the bench. They reached a lot closer to the ground than Fundy’s. “Maybe I do care what these people think about me. But I can’t change a lot of my Enderman habits, I don’t want to! So I guess I’m adapting in other ways like… like- pffffttt hahaha!“

The sudden stop was so jarring in a serious conversation.

“What? What??? Ran-Ranboo!”

Fundy was giggling at this point too as the Enderman hybrid clutched their stomach and wheezed.

“Like… Like wearing non-combat gear and, and- ahahahah! Making food that I- I can’t even eat!”

They both broke into hysterics at that. Ranboo’s laugh wasn’t made any quieter by the mask.

“Ranboo!” Fundy coughed and grasped the others arm. “You were the one who suggested we make an ice-cream shop!”

“I know!” Ranboo continued with laughter in his voice, “I do like ice-cream, but I forgot that I can’t, that I don’t know how to make it with dairy!”

With that they were lost to the world for a good few minutes. And it may have been the lightest Fundy had felt since he lost his Dad.

“Should we get a cow and try make actual ice cream then?” Fundy asked later.

Ranboo made another noise with a meaning lost to Fundy. “Yeah. I want to make cookies and cream. Niki’s tried to teach me how to make cookies before.”

Cookies and cream was nice, strawberry was still Fundy’s favourite though. He had a vague memory of someone mentioning your supposed to use seaweed in ice-cream, but that was a later problem.

“No one has ever bothered me about being a hybrid, if it makes you feel better Ranboo. There are more hybrids living here than you would think. It’s just not as obvious as us.” The masked face turned in his direction, but whatever expression he had, it was undecipherable. “If someone’s an asshole then-“

Shlatt throwing a bottle in his direction shouting in front of everyone.

“I’m what you’re not Fundy… I’m a man!”

His Dad stepping in front of him for the last time before-

“-then it’s usually unrelated.”

Ranboo made what sounded a bit like a purr and clapped his hands together. “Thanks Fundy. Maybe there’s some other things you can teach me about the server as well?”

Fundy gasped excitedly and jumped to his feet.

“Oh Ranboo my friend, I am going to teach you so much about petty theft and, what we call in the business, ‘relieving people of unused property!”

Ranboo let out a small, slightly nervous laugh?

“Erm, maybe ice-cream first?”

Fundy grinned up at him.

Yeah. Ice-cream first.

Chapter Text

Tubbo wasn’t really close friends with Ranboo. He liked them, they built the Bee Dome together and hung out sometimes. But they were the literal definition of “the strong quiet type”, and most Tubbo’s friends were very… loud. Ranboo rarely lead the conversation, and didn’t seem to register a lot of social ques? But when they made a statement it was said with intent and confidence. The only thing Ranboo had in common with Tubbo’s close friends was that they were so tall. One time he had asked them to hand over some height, or at least stoop a little, and instead of graciously sharing even a couple inches they bent at the waist till the two of them were face to face. Tubbo took the opportunity to drop a sand block on their head before bending over himself with laughter. He learned the meaning of a couple of Endermen noises that day, such as the growl right before being thrown into the lake, and the way their laughter seems to vibrate and echo.

The language barrier wasn’t as much of an issue as he thought it might be. There were times where Ranboo made an Endermen noise instead of speaking Common then expected Tubbo to understand it, or just didn’t register the words of the conversation, which could be irritating if Tubbo was in a rush. But on the whole, there had only been one major miscommunication. That was pronouns.

Now it wasn’t as if Tubbo hadn’t been corrected after assuming pronouns before, Fundy had said as much when he came out as trans and Eret had given him a bit of an info dump at some point in the Revolution. The issue was more that Ranboo hadn’t corrected Tubbo at all. Hadn’t corrected anyone. Tubbo had never considered pronouns necessarily exclusive to Common or hybrids, as far as he knew every other hybrid on the server including himself did actually use pronouns, but it wasn’t something that he asks a person about when he first meets them. Maybe the issue there was just not leaving the server enough. But it was obviously something he needed to start doing because it was a good three weeks or so after Ranboo first joined the server (nine days after Tommy’s exile began) before it even came up in conversation. And it had been Niki to bring it up, not Ranboo.

He had gathered that Niki knew Ranboo for a while before they arrived at the server. It was the only time they weren’t stiff and uncomfortable in a group of people, even with Tubbo, Niki and Fundy cramped in the small bakery together.

Fundy and Ranboo had been meeting there pretty often before going to work on the ice-cream shop, he was pretty sure it was because Niki was insistent on seeing Ranboo regularly. Protective. Tubbo had stopped cooking at home since there was no-one to barge into his house and demand a meal, so developed the habit to eat breakfast at the bakery instead. It was getting kinda old just listening to Fundy complain about how late Ranboo was though.

When Fundy said “He keeps sleeping in,” was where things got confusing.

“He?” Niki had interjected, “I thought we were talking about Ranboo?”

“I am!” Fundy spoke through a cookie. Gross, “He sleeps really late like every fourth day! By the way Niki, can you teach us how to make these? I am totally not planning to combine them with ice-cream for business purposes.”

Niki looked from Fundy to Tubbo for help.

“What?” He didn’t want the cookie recipe. Cookies and cream was a favourite flavour of Tom- of his though. Whatever Niki was looking for she must have found because he got to see the moment of realisation in her eyes.

“Ohhhhh,” She breathed out, “They haven’t said anything…”

Tubbo frowned in confusion and he could see Fundy’s ears drop.

And then Ranboo opened the door.

“Ranboo!” Niki burst out, “You didn’t tell anyone about your pronouns!”

Ranboo’s head instantly connected with the top of the door frame. Everyone winced in sympathy. Well, Tubbo had never hit his head on a door frame but he had been hit by a firework, so it was basically the same thing.

“That much staring is not healthy when walking into a room you know,” They mumbled as they skimmed their horns on the way through the door.

“Sorry Ranboo,” Niki winced and ducked her head a bit, “But seriously have you told no one? You’ve been here nearly a month!”

There was silence for a good while. He could see Fundy getting more and more restless and Tubbo was getting tense with anticipation.

“Oh!” Ranboo stood straighter and everyone got hopeful, “The nicknames thing?”

Tubbo snorted, while Fundy made a little choking noise and Niki sighed.

“Yeah, the nickname thing. You’re supposed to tell people the nickname when you introduce yourself remember?”

Ranboo nodded in what Tubbo thought was the most serious expression he had seen on a person wearing a full face mask, then stuck their hand out to Tubbo.

“Hi I’m Ranboo, or you can call me theythem.”

Tubbo laughed out loud at that and shook their hand. “I’m Tubbo and I use he him pronouns. I’m pretty sure ‘they’ and ‘them’ are different words, but thanks for telling me,” He jolted as a thought came to him, “Hey, can I still call you big man? Also, should I correct other people on your pronouns? Or do you want to do it yourself or something?”

Ranboo lifted and dropped a shoulder. “Sure, if you want.”

He wasn’t really sure if Ranboo fully understood the questions, but it was good enough.

They walked over to Fundy and stuck out their hand, but Fundy brushed it aside quickly and grabbed them in a hug.

Ranboo quickly hugged back, “Fundy, it’s ok.”

“No it’s not! I’ve been misgendering you this whole time!” He’s shoulders shook a bit and he held Ranboo tighter. “Holy shit that’s- I feel like crap. I would hate it so much if someone did that to me and I didn’t even think to ask you!”

Tubbo could hear a rumbling from where he was sitting at the counter and saw Fundy and Ranboo start to vibrate a bit. He only realised it was Ranboo purring when he recognised Fundy’s familiar one following softly afterwards.

“Fundy a lot of the stuff that exist in your culture, language stuff, social stuff… it just isn’t a thing for Endermen. I’ve only ever cared cause it’s important to a lot of other people.”

Ranboo bent their neck and rubbed their head between Fundy’s ears. “It’s just words Fundy.”

The fox hybrid took a shaky breath in and then exhaled, “A lot of those words are important to me…”

Ranboo nodded, “Ok. I’ll try harder to remember it. Eret used to teach me a lot of that stuff, I can ask for a refresher?”

Fundy looked up at Ranboo and his eyes seemed to shine, Tubbo wasn’t sure if they were tears or admiration.

“No one’s ever gone to school for me before.”

Tubbo huffed a laugh along with the others and turned to his left with a joke about history education on his tongue before making unexpected eye contact with Niki.

Ah. Right. Tommy isn’t here.

Tubbo left pretty quick after that, promising to correct people about Ranboo’s pronouns and wishing them both luck on the mining competition.

He hadn’t really thought about there being much of a difference between Ranboo and other hybrids on the server. They used a lot of different noises that Tubbo had ended up enjoying deciphering, like the purrs and the chirps, but Phil did that too. He’d visited Ranboo in their house while it was raining once, and then a second time afterwards to bring them a piece of grass when they were upset the rain didn’t stop for another two days. And sure maybe a couple of these things couple be considered strange.

But after his dad had left him in a box on the side of the road and he got picked up by Phil, growing up with a Piglin and Avian made any Enderman traits seemed almost commonplace. It wasn’t like Ranboo was hibernating for months, or moulting and leaving feathers everywhere, or even stealing small objects like Fundy. Hell, Tubbo would head-butt people as a form of affection, which was actually becoming a bit of a problem now that his horns were coming in.

So when Tubbo went straight into Ranboo’s house later that week without waiting for them to answer the door, he quickly realised he had made a gross oversight.

Because sure many hybrid traits were just small inconveniences. But there were also nights where Fundy would attack other foxes because he was territorial. Techno used disappear for days and come back covered in blood. The time when Phil’s wings would twitch with wander-lust and they didn’t see him for five years.

Or Tubbo getting horrible cramps because he had eaten something he shouldn’t have, but hadn’t grown up with any other ram hybrids to teach him what those things were.

He really should have been paying attention to Ranboo startling easy, or getting uncomfortable when people stare, or Fundy commenting that they sleep in late some days. Or literally just the entire mask that people don’t wear to sleep.

Despite discussing it a couple days before he had still been surprised that Ranboo was still in bed, a little nervous even when they quickly pulled a weapon from their inventory. But mostly when he saw red and green glowing in the dark room he felt stone. Cold. Fear.

It felt like the shiver of goose bumps after a huge sneeze but the goose bumps don’t go away. It sounded like when his best friend was messing with their communicators and had them both on loud speaker when they were standing right next to each other. It looked like darkness under the bed Ranboo had made weeks prior only within the darkness was red blue sparks red cape red blood his blood and the taste, was of burning he could taste it in his mouth pain pain please make it stop fireworks and laughter and one bang two bangs and

a sharp pain in his arm brought the warm air rushing back in. His body jolted as movement was granted to his limbs all at once, each scrambling independent of each other to flee from the danger that simply wasn’t there anymore, hadn’t been for months. He hit warm skin and held on tight as it held back, his head firm and anchored as he let the warmth bring him back to the present.

It took a little while but he could eventually figure out where all his limbs fit on his body and where his body fit in the room. He was definitely on the ground, not really comfortable with his neck tilted and fingers starting to cramp from gripping something tightly. Other senses booted up and even though he couldn’t see anything he could hear a quiet voice close-by.

“-orry sorry, so so sorry Tubbo. You scared me and it’s instinct and I’m so so sorry…”

“Ranboo?” God his voice was so croaky. He really hoped he hadn’t been screaming.

A quiet but deep voice responded, “You with me, Tubbo?”

Tubbo let out a soft sigh. He wanted to open his eyes but they felt uncomfortably dry and heavy.

“Ranboo what the fuck?” He rasped out instead.

There was a chittering noise behind and… above him? Tubbo was pretty sure his head was propped up somewhere on Ranboo’s lap while his hand was wrapped in their shirt. His legs were uncomfortable so he straightened them out. One of Ranboo’s hands was holding his while the other was covering his eyes. He removed his hand from Ranboo’s and went to free his eyes but there was a tutting sound above him and his efforts were halted.

“You had your eyes open for a while there and your supposed to blink to prevent dust and moisturise them so uh… well just keep them shut a little longer.”

Gosh was this going to be a long term problem? He really didn’t need any more damage to his senses.

“I won’t open them, just move the hand away boss man,” He was confused and uncomfortable, added to his general dislike of touch from most people it was getting way too much.

Ranboo’s hands moved away quickly with a small “sorry”. They didn’t say anything after that though and as Tubbo could finally say his head had cleared up, he was getting more and more frustrated.

“Ranboo seriously, I need an explanation.”

Ranboo made a noise that was a lot more similar to what Endermen made than their usual chitters and purrs. It had pitch changes and sounded much more like an actual language.

“It’s like a… defence mechanism?” Ranboo began, “It’s not really voluntary a lot of the time, happens when I’m like… well maybe it’s more of a kind of attack than a defence actually if you think about what happens when Endermen make eye contact and, oh jeez that sounds so bad I swear I wasn’t trying to attack you? You just surprised me so…” Ranboo’s ramblings faded out.

An involuntary Endermen reaction. Honestly Tubbo should have expected there to be a correlation between the mask and Endermen hating eye contact. It felt so obvious in hindsight, and he usually really liked a mystery. The anger and frustration at the invasion of re-living all his more… unfortunate experiences faded as the puzzle started slotting itself together. It’s true there’s often a moment if you were unfortunate enough to make eye contact with an Endermen where he got scared, joints locking up heart pounding faster those kinds of things. But they ended quickly when eye contact was broken and you started to get attacked. He had always thought it was just the anticipation of getting absolutely fucking wreaked from any random direction but maybe there was a bit more to it.

It wasn’t Ranboo’s fault, no matter how salty he was to be on the receiving end of it. Doesn’t mean he wasn’t currently cautious as hell.

“Can you direct me to a chair or some shit Ranboo?” He mumbled. His throat was still sore, fingers crossed Ranboo had some water.

They helped him to the bed and Tubbo felt better having some height in the situation, able to slowly open his eyes again. He took the offered cup of milk but waved away the healing pot for his eyes (“I don’t have any water sorry” and “Sometimes if you don’t blink for a while...”)

He finished off the milk and let out a deep sigh. His heart rate was normal, he had feeling in all his limbs, the room was unblurring with each blink, and the fear had stopped as soon as Ranboo pinched his arm (the fake fear?). They were currently sliding off the edge of the bed to sit on the floor with their head bent to look up at the ceiling. The mask was crooked.

“Your very calm…” They muttered.

Tubbo snorted. “I was pretty pissed earlier but all hybrid traits are kinda funky. I’m fine now I’m over the erm…” How would you even describe that whole experience? The feeling of every single nightmare all at once that stopped as soon as he woke up? Gosh if only every night ended like that.

“It’s been described to me as artificial fear before,” The mask tilled to face the wall, “Not that I’ve ever experienced it, but I’m a bit surprised your still in the same room as me considering some other reactions.”

Tubbo tilted his head “Do you want me to leave?”

“Do you want me to?” Ranboo shot back still staring at the wall.

“What, leave your own house?” Tubbo snorted.

“I mean I was thinking more the general area…” They fiddled with their hands in their lap.

Tubbo rose to his knees and jabbed a finger towards Ranboo, “Are you kidding me? You totally owe me now. I know we were going to talk about you being the minutes man, but I have soooo many chores to do!”

Ranboo straightened and looked up at Tubbo for a long second. “Your face is actually terrifying right now,” They whispered.

Tubbo laughed darkly. “I have so much paper I’m behind on.”

Ranboo stood up and started walking swiftly towards the door still dressed in pyjamas.

“I’m just going to leave the country actually.”

“No Ranboo!” Tubbo leaped after them and grabbed their arm, “Your signature is so much neater than mine!” He said with what Tommy had described as his Evil Cackle.

Ranboo startled at the sound and started pulling towards the door faster, “The only thing I’m signing today is the withdrawal of my citizenship!”

Tubbo milked Ranboo’s handwriting that day for every letter he could. And when he mentioned that he’s been behind on paperwork ever since Tommy hasn’t been around to help with his dyslexia, Ranboo would come in a couple times a week. There weren’t even any threatening persuasion techniques involved, only light begging.

Despite this he didn’t call Ranboo a close friend for a while. However when he found himself sticking up for them against Quackity, he realised that sometime between the paperwork and bees and company they had definitely earned that title. When L’manburg eventually fell and he was able to be with Tommy again, and they revealed that Ranboo had actually been visiting Tommy throughout Exile, most of the jealousy was buried beneath the gratefulness. The rest of it was forgotten when Ranboo took off the mask when the three of them hung out together. Seeing Ranboo laugh together with them… Tubbo felt totally humbled. He had head butted them in the chest and promised that it was a trust he wouldn’t betray, in his own little wordless way. He wasn’t ever going to look Ranboo in the eyes again, and that was a promise he had every intention of keeping.

….

…this was wrong. This was oh so incredibly wrong! From the gravel scraping his cheek, to the blood smeared on the ground. His name was being screamed but he couldn’t reply to it. Why couldn’t he reply, he couldn’t move he couldn’t blink! He was so so scared and there was nothing fake about it, had nothing to do with the explosions beginning to ring in his ears.

Tears budded in his open eyes as he watched in terror and all he could think was, how the hell did it all go to shit this quickly?

Chapter Text

Even if their first interaction hadn’t been the best, Tommy didn’t particularly regret taking the fall for George’s house. Ranboo seemed pretty confident when talking just one to one but being put into that cell and having a bunch of people looking at them… Well. You didn’t need to be a genius to figure out why the Enderman hybrid had a mask on all the time. Even if Ranboo hadn’t been pressing themself up in the corner and making Endermen noises, that was just common fucking decency wasn’t it? Not to have the Newbies third day on the server be punished for some quite frankly, dumb crime. And Ranboob visited him more than almost anyone else too, even if he didn’t want the pity fuck off he was fine without them.

But…

That had been at the start, when the time away felt it would be limited and people were free to come and visit. When it was supposed to be like Pogtopia, Wilbur by his side, Tubbo sneaking away from his Government responsibilities and the strong Techno in their corner. Instead he had Ghostbur as knock off Wilbur, Ranboo as very knock off Tubbo, and.

And then there was Dream.

It was getting harder and harder to remember what it was like to be treated normally by friends, to the point that the new normal was… fine? He was fine with this right? The holes and the TNT and the explosions explosions explosi

So the thing with Ranboo was. Every now and then when they hung out Tommy would see the mask and Ranboo wouldn’t be there anymore. And it was so dumb the masks didn’t even look the same but between the Dream’s smile and Ranboo’s weird ass wonky line sometimes it was so hard to know what either of them were feeling. It was tense, four days straight of not knowing whether or not he said the wrong thing in a conversation with Dream, constantly toeing the line, doing something only to be meet with that dumb blank silent mask. Then Ranboo comes and it's just another mask, and sometimes Ranboo didn’t even speak Common. Was it so bad to miss facial expressions?

He and Ranboo were sitting just outside of Tnret together. Ranboo had brought pork with them and even if it didn’t go amazing with the mushroom soup the variety was very welcome. Tommy was gonna miss it. He’d already made the decision that this was the night he told Ranboo not to come back.

“-so I thought humans liked blocks as gifts too right? Cause Phil gave me the wood but uh… yeah Phil said it was kinda hard to open the door with a grass block there. So that’s why I brought you food this time! And flowers but I’m pretty sure you guys don’t eat that.”

Tommy twirled the allium in his fingers and watched the shadows of the fire shadow the petals. Hearing stories of people in L’manburg was bittersweet. It sounded like everyone was still functioning without him which was… why he left. Hopefully these conversations weren’t going to be something he missed.

“Ranboo uh-”

The mask tilted in his direction. Were they curious and listening? Were they mad at Tommy for interrupting? He couldn’t even see the edges of Ranboos’ face like he could with Dream the mask was so big. It wasn’t worth it. Not knowing just… it wasn’t worth it.

“As cool as coming to visit me is and everything,” He began waving the flower around facing the fire, “I’ve decided it would be better if you didn’t come anymore. I’m a big man! It’s time for me to be independent and… and spend time honing my awesomeness!”

Ranboo didn’t say anything for a hot second but Tommy could see the mask tilt to the side.

“I mean, ok. But I thought you hate being alone? And,” Ranboo spoke quietly and leaned forward further, “-and I thought you seemed happy with people around, like Ghostbur.”

“Ah yes well other people are fine,” Wait that didn’t sound right did it, “That is to say, most people are fine, but Dream isn’t really great either so.”

“Either?”

Shit. Tommy was absolutely butchering this conversation. Bring it back bring it back.

“Hey no no no it’s not like I’m comparing you or anything, you're not anything alike!” Tommy moved towards Ranboo a bit more and gripped the flower a bit tighter. Ridiculous thing to be holding for such a serious fumbled conversation, “Aside from like your tendency to hang around, the fact that your both rudely taller than me, the masks-”

Ranboo visibly flinched back and their fists tightened. It was an oh so small gesture but painfully obvious.

“...You don’t want me around because of my mask.”

Tommy spluttered for a response for a couple seconds, but there really was only one thing he could say to that.

He dropped the allium on the ground, “…yeah.”

It had definitely been a mistake to be looking at Ranboo when he said that because Tommy saw the exact moment their body went from tense and apprehensive, to sagged and resigned, then stiff and formal, finally turning to face the fire to sit up straight. Tommy really wanted to find the position funny, because Ranboo’s legs were far too long for them to look cool while sitting on a log so close to the ground, it was so fucking stupid. But he was just devastated that it was at this moment he realised it was actually super easy to read Ranboo’s body language. And there was a lot of time to reminisce on that fact cause Ranboo hadn’t said anything yet.

“That’s alright Tommy,” It felt like an age before they started talking again, “It’s not the first time someone disliked me because of my mask. Would have been nice if you had said something sooner though.”

That's not true though. He didn’t dislike Ranboo, they were the one of the only people who visited frequently, his only connection to L’manburg. And it hadn’t been an issue earlier.

Ranboo flicked through their inventory before bringing something out and placing it on the log between them.

“We figured out how to use actual dairy so um. A gift. You can keep the plate.”

Ranboo stood up and turned away. Left between them was an honest to god bowl of vanilla ice-cream with cookies. A bit scuffed maybe with chunks of ice in melted-ish ice-cream, and cookies that were thin and brittle.

It looked fucking incredible.

Tommy was reaching for Ranboo’s hand before he even realised he was doing it. This was one of the only relationships left that he had any actual say in, when was the last time he had been given something instead of the one doing the giving? But he reached out too late before Ranboo’s stupidly lengthy legs carried them away and he nearly slipped from the log. If Tommy wanted to stop the Endermen hybrid he’d have to reach from his knees.

And he just couldn’t do it. Kneeling on the ground to throw away his items so often had created a hole in his trousers that twigs and rocks dug into. If he had nothing else left, he wanted to keep a little of his pride. He needed to keep the image of a Strong Man, he wouldn’t lose it yet. Even if he needed Ranboo to stay, he wouldn’t kneel for them.

He took these thoughts and gathered the most false confidence he could as he drew his hand back. Tommy was dedicated to this decision 100%.

But he may have… hesitated for a second, or misjudged the distance, because before he drew it back he felt his hand brush against Ranboo’s.

Please don’t notice please don’t notice, was nearly prayer as he stared at the fire.

Please don’t notice, he thought even as the footsteps stopped.

Please…

The fire was becoming blurry for some reason, but he couldn’t concentrate on it. Couldn’t really see the other figure in front of him either.

“Tommy...”

No. He was a Strong Man, if he couldn’t stick to one choice how could he prove it? He had the opportunity for the first time in exile to be in control of a decision, and he was going to make the one choice he wanted.

“Tommy hey…” Two black hands hovered lightly above his, “You look really upset for someone who’s platonically breaking up with me.”

Tommy knocked the hands aside as he looked away.

“’m not, fuck off, your delusional,” He murmured, “This isn’t some cheap drama novel.”

“Are you sure?” Ranboo sat crossed legged on the ground in front of him. Tommy was an inch or so taller than them like this, it really should have been more but apparently the hybrid was just that stupidly tall.

“I think this is the part where you say, “I just want to be not-friends” then I convince you to tell me why and make a dramatic gesture to win you back.”

Tommy slapped a hand to his face, “Yeah it’s cause your so cheesy! I’m actually becoming allergic to the cringe of being around you.”

“I’ve heard exposure theory works wonders,” Ranboo laughed, as if that was a medical practice and not to get rid of fears. Like Tommy was scared of fucking Ranboob of all people, “Besides I’m not asking for your deepest secrets or anything.”

Tommy dropped the hand from his face and looked at Ranboo as they made some fumbling hand gestures.

“I just want to know your erm, boundaries? So I can be a decent non-human-being,” Ranboo’s hands fell to their lap and their shoulders relaxed, “And if I can’t do anything I’ll leave but like, I’d like to try, you know?”

God when was the last time someone said they would try for him? And it wasn’t gaslighting or never followed through with? Maybe he could just think aloud for a little bit. And then delete the conversation if it didn’t go well.

“It’s just…” Tommy started, “It’s similar to Dream.”

“I didn’t realise the mask is that ugly,” Ranboo said, but their voice was light and Tommy could imagine them smiling.

“Well obviously,” He wasn’t going to admit that the banter was making the conversation easier, so he didn’t. “When Dream is around sometimes I don’t know what he… wants? Or expects? If he’s my friend like he says or if he’s actually being an ass just cause he can.”

Tommy looked away from the fire down towards his hands, “His mood changes so quickly and sometimes I think he’ll be happy with something we’re doing together, but then it only seems that way and he’s actually really mad. I know it’s toxic and I know your nothing alike but I see the mask and sometimes I just can’t tell if your being genuine or not.”

It was all the doubts that he had been having for the past couple weeks but said aloud and it felt… he wouldn’t say better. But satisfying.

Apparently the difference between thinking in a cold bed alone and saying it aloud with someone there was the arms surrounding him. It was funny how you could sit next to a fire and still feel cold, but sit next to a friend and feel warm again. It was also noisier.

“... are you purring?”

Ranboo made a little chirping noise where their head was resting on his shoulder and oh, that sounded a bit like Phil.

“Yeah. Does it help?”

Tommy hummed and shifted on the log, his returning embrace tightening a little more, “It’s pretty weird.”

There was small worry he overstepped but Ranboo just laughed quietly.

“Hey, I think whistling is weird but I don’t insult you guys about it.”

There was a bit of a relaxed quiet while Tommy calmed down and wondered why whistling in particular was weird before realising that he didn’t actually care.

Tommy let go first and Ranboo sat back on the log.

“Thanks for telling me,” Ranboo spoke first, “I guess the mask only has one expression huh?”

“I don’t know it can even be called an expression...” Tommy said as he looked forward into the fire. It probably needed another log, but he didn’t want to move yet. He hadn’t let any tears slip but he felt like moving could break his focus and change that easily. Plus if he add more fuel the ice-cream next to him he planned to eat might melt. It could be a good distraction to the fact that he’d just opened his heart to someone but was still gonna have to say goodbye anyway.

Ranboo let out a loud sigh that was becoming familiar and tapped the bottom of the mask.

“I uh…” Ranboo was so quiet it was hard to hear his whisper. “I could take uh… I could take it off…”

That was a… solution, but not one Tommy had ever imagined Ranboo would suggest.

“Just to visit me? You would actually do that just because I’m overreacting over something like this?”

“No Tommy,” Ranboo sighed again. “It’s not an overreaction. I’ve known you for nearly a month and you deserve to be comfortable. It’s just,” Ranboo gripped the bottom of the mask, “It's hard.”

What could Tommy say to that really. It’s ok you don’t have to do it? Was it selfish to ask Ranboo to break one of their boundaries for him? Selfish that Tommy really wanted them to take the mask off? He couldn’t bring himself to say it.

Ranboo undid the clasp behind their head but kept one hand over their face so the mask didn’t come off yet.

“Just don’t… try not to stare please? And no eye contact. That would be really bad actually.”

Tommy nodded and looked at Ranboo’s shoulder, maybe not looking directly at their face would make them feel more comfortable.

Ranboo lowered the mask and after a second Tommy slowly raised his gaze.

Ranboo’s face was… white? Which maybe shouldn’t have been as surprising as it was cause half their hair was white, but it really was unexpected. Also kinda weird to have a black mask if your face was white, but maybe the mask was just Endermen themed. Both Ranboo’s hands were black though? Maybe that shouldn’t be the focus because Ranboo didn’t have a mouth.

Then their eyes opened and head turned and oh hey Ranboo was really leaning into a duo colour theme here. Both the eyes had colour where there should be white and how did that even work? There was probably a name for the part that wasn’t the pupal but hell if Tommy knew it. Gosh it was really kind of hard to look away, but he caught himself as the low rumbling purr started to change into a high pitched vibrating whine.

“Ah fuck sorry sorry sooo so sorry!” He gasps and slaps his hands over his face breaking the eye contact, “Please don’t get aggro and start teleporting?” His ice-cream was still on the log behind him, would be a waste for it to get knocked off.

There was a snorting laugh in front of him and the weird ringing that was very signature to Endermen stopped.

“Literally everyone does it the first time Tommy, it’s fine. Besides…” He lowered his hands and looked at Ranboob’s chin. If this bitch started teleporting and littering purple particles around his camp Tommy was gonna kick them out, mask or not.

“Besides I can’t teleport…”

The skin between Ranboo’s nose and chin split as they talked, mouth looking completely unhinged in the most terrifying way. Tommy was pretty sure their jaw would fall off if it wasn’t for the strips of flesh that held it together.

“Promise.”

Oh heeeell no.

“Holy shit Ranboo fuck right off!!!” He yelled and jolted backwards. Sacring the Big Tommy Innit? Absolutely not allowed, banned, banned, this prick could take their friendship and fucking leave! “That’s the most terrifying thing are you fucking kidding me? Are you laughing at me? Fucking stop!!! IT’S NOT FUNNY!!!”

Ranboo the absolute asshole was bent over laughing in the loudest most obnoxious way possible. The audacity.

Tommy pushed them off the log.

“You did that on purpose you prick.”

Ranboo flopped onto their back and looked up from where they were sprawled out.

“Yeah, I like people’s reactions,” They admitted, “I think it’s great honestly.”

“Have these people said you look like a broken colour wheel?” Tommy spat back.

“No, but no one’s screeched like that either.” Ranboo snorted sitting up again.

Tommy groaned and pushed them again. Ok their face was a bit different. But they were an Endermen hybrid, it would probably be weird if it wasn’t. Tommy already knew that was fine though. They had a nose, eyes, and they did actually have a mouth. He could just… look over and see their expressions. Without the eye contact of course, fuck that Endermen noise really did echo in his brain.

A thought occurred as he picked the allium up and brushed the dirt off. Maybe he could even learn what some of the warbling noises meant. It sounded hard but he would if it meant he didn’t have to try guess emotions anymore.

“I’m not apologising for insulting the mask,” He handed the flower over as Ranboo sat on the log again and picked up the ice cream instead, “Why are the eyes down where your nose is? I always thought you just had a huge forehead.”

“Nah, if the eyes are lower on my mask no one accidently makes eye contact. I can still see using enchantments. Their pretty complicated actually.” Ranboo spun the flower between long fingers.

“Your ice cream looks trash too. How is it crunchy and melted?” He complained as he took a bite. God if this wasn’t the best thing someone who didn’t have access sugar for nearly a month could possibly eat. Even burnt cookies were gourmet to a starving man.

Ranboo smiled softly. The mouth was still strange but not unfamiliar, it was easy to see where the inspiration for the mouth of the mask came from. “I’ll practice the recipe for next time I come.”

“Pretty confident of you to assume I want would eat it again,” He ignored the warmth at the mention of a next time and ate a cookie instead. Brittle and amazing, “But if you need a taste tester, I suppose I can spare some time.”

Ranboo’s wide grin was full of teeth, holes and stretched skin, but it was happy all the same. It would take some time to get used to, but was still something he would like to spend time seeing.

So when he arrived too late to find one friend missing and the other lying still in the dirt, Tommy was determined to do what he could to see that smile again. To see both his friends smile again.

He brushed that guilt aside as the next day he arrived at iron doors, and ignoring the pain burning in his lower legs, he stamped on the pressure plates to open them violently. There was no time for niceties after all. They were on a time crunch.

“Knock knock bitch,” He announced to the shocked face he found in the room, “You need to repay a favour.”