Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Hello,
I'd like to start by resolving a few issues with the plot and technical organization of the story. I hope you don't mind it!

• This story is all about fictional characters – not about content creators.
• It's clearly AU and I selectively decided what's canonical and what's not. Most included things are locations, some character flaws and traids, few headcanons (like goat hybrid Tubbo).
  
  
• This fic is dark and implies a lot of disturbing actions and triggers.
• Because of dark themes I don’t put characters in tags, only the main relationship.

• English is not my first language. I am trying my best but it still not going to be as good as native. Sorry about that.

Chapter Text

There're legends about some places.
Terrible tales spoken in whispers behind closed room doors. Places mothers scare their children with, when they refuse to brush their teeth or eat all the vegetables. Places that you avoid by a wide arc and go to the other, seemingly safer, side of the street.

The White House, commonly known as the butchery agency or auction brothel, was one such place. Built on the very border of the old L'manburg district, on a hill, it repelled from afar with its austere grey bricks and quartz sterile details.
It was a symbol of the "new, natural order." A regime that was established even before he was born and which ruled iron fist, keeping the people of Esempi in check.

Tubbo swallowed, once again glancing at the crumpled and sweat-soggy sheet of paper. He ran his eyes over the letters, still naively believing that this time they would form into different words. But whether he was reading the note for the first, the third, or even the twelfth time, somewhere in his heart there was still that remnant of hope smoldering.

Dear Sir,
 Tubbo Underscore

Under Dream SMP's Third Amendment (§3.12, sections 12.2a - obligatory nature of partnership), we would like to inform you of a Benefactors' Meeting to be held on your behalf.

It will take place on the 24th. December this year, at 9:30 a. m. , in the A1 building of the family office (room 112).Please be reminded that the following documentation must be prepared for the meeting:

- birth certificate

- excerpt from parents' records*

- a medical certificate of follow-up examination, issued not later than 3 months.

- breed documents*

- form 13-E on occupational and social status

- the (in)criminal record taken from "Pandora" Server Prison

For more information about the appointment, you can contact your case coordinator in person between 08:00 and 16:30 (Mon-Fri): Niki Nihachu. At the same time, please inform the representatives of the Office immediately if you take steps to change your current situation between receipt of the notification and the meeting.

Sincerely,
The Office for Family Affairs

* (only) hybrids

It was because of this one letter that he stood outside the White House, well aware that in a few hours he would be auctioned off.
And this was just one of those stories an unruly child would hear before going to bed.

- * -

The inside of the building looked just as Tubbo had imagined. Just like another boring office building. Long tiled hallways with numerous doors.
Did you need an iron farm permit? Room 13.
Transportation issues? 73a.
Building and submitting a Nether Portal? 209.
Absolutely everything that had to do with the functioning of the server was taken care of behind those wooden doors.

It took him a moment to reach the room indicated on the letter.
It takes even longer to muster up the courage to knock on door marked with a metal plate with the room number and his own coordinator's name.

Tubbo was answered by a quiet "please come in."
He took a few deeper breaths as he pressed the door handle and entered the bright room.

"Name?" asked a sweet, feminine voice.

"Underscore Tubbo. I received a call…"

The woman sitting at the typewriter at the desk merely nodded toward the empty chair across from her on the opposite side of the tabletop. To be honest, he imagined office workers very differently. The girl was only a couple of years older than him, she smelled of sweet baked goods, and though she was dressed elegant and clearly very professional, her colorful nails and pink hair were completely out of place in this sad place.

At the same time, she was searching through a large pile of files and binders, mumbling under her breath the letters of the alphabet by which she apparently had her documentation sorted.

"There it is… " she smiled, finally pulling out a plain cardboard folder marked with the official seal of the White House. Out of the corner of his eye, Tubbo noticed his name written in thick black marker. "What have we here… " She ran her eyes over the first papers of the file, each time licking her finger as she turned the pages. The heartfelt smile she had graced him with earlier turned into a sluggish, almost sympathetic grimace as she kept reading on. "Really?" she asked finally, looking up from her documents at the boy.

Tubbo shrugged his shoulders in response, trying to hold back the tears squeezing into his eyes. He clenched his teeth. He couldn't cry. Not now. Not in this stupid room. That would be just embarrassing.
No.
He wasn't going to show any weakness.
Not yet.

"I'm really sor…"

"No need. " He interrupted her almost immediately, feeling a cringe shiver. He didn't need her feigned sympathy. Instead, boy pulled the required forms from his bag with trembling hands. He handed them to the woman, immediately returning to his hunched position in the chair.

Niki sighed deeply.
A deep silence fell in the room, punctuated by the rustling of paper and short, very formal questions thrown in again and again.

"Race?"
"Human-goat hybrid. On my father's side.  My mother was a human."

Tubbo immersed himself in thoughts, trying to remember when things had really started to going downhill.
Just a few months earlier, he was confident that he had a safe and secure future. Everything was carefully planned. He and Tommy were supposed to get married around November, gave the Authority the middle finger and moved on with their lives.
Nothing would have changed. They would still be just best friends. Born in battles of life and not-so-best childhood.
What was one extra scar, among all the ones they had earned together?
They knew plenty of people who escaped the Third Amendment by tying themselves up in friendly "platonic marriages" - illegal, prosecutable by law and punishable by life imprisonment (if the judge had a better day), but living on the edge was better than what might await them…

"Second gender and relationship status?"
"Omega. Single. "

What's changed?
He had no idea. He couldn't answer why one day Tommy just packed up, just saying a quiet, worthless: "sorry Tubbster. Father found out and… Old man forbade me. I am so sorry. "
Oh Tubbo tried to convince him.

He cried, he despaired, he was willing to sacrifice and get claimed, even got pregnant if needed... But Tommy didn't want to hear about it.
That's why Tommy left.
Throwing in another goodbye, "You'll find someone for sure, king!"

Certainly.
After all, there was nothing difficult about finding a free Alpha who would be willing to bond with him out of sheer goodness of heart (or at least pity - he was really all the same now) and to whom he could be sure she would not use the full power their had gained over him.
He could have been raped - it would have been called marital obligation. There was no such a blessing in the world like a pregnancy and children;
locked away and cut off from the world - after all, the place of the obedient omega is at home anyway;
killed - probably deserved it for disobeying his spouse. Law always protected the Alpha.

Oh yes.
He knew dozens of good people in this shitty world!

"Age?"
"19 years old. Since yesterday. "

Tubbo didn't even have the strength to get mad. He had already gone through a stage of anger and pure hatred towards the former friend who had left him in the lurch at the very beginning of September (leaving him less than three months to desperately try to sort out all his professional and personal stuff).
Then there was a stage of despair and helplessness. Then misunderstanding. Faint hope of escaping beyond the server's borders. And at the very end, acceptance and powerlessness.
He was about to be "given away" for some old, probably widowed, cruel Alpha.
And there was nothing he could do about it.

- * -

'Auctions should not be so… sterile. '

It crossed his mind when he was finally allowed into the meeting room. This office was no different from most of the rooms in the building, though apart from a long wooden table at which several people were already seated and a chair in the middle, there was no additional furniture or decoration in it. In the air was the smell of fresh coffee and cookies, which Tubbo quickly noticed were arranged on a silver tray.

Without a word, the boy squatted on a chair, carrying in his hands the piece of paper he had received.
It was unfair.
Maybe if they stripped him of everything, tied him like an animal to a pole - filthy, humiliated and dehumanized - maybe then he would feel he had a right to hate them and that damn system that was taking everything away from him.
Maybe if the auction was as it was presented in the stories - in some dark basements or in some casino, where a crowd of horny creeps and guys from mafia would eyefuck him and throw dizzying amounts of gold and diamonds... just to get between his legs… Maybe it would have hit different.

But no.
He sat in the nice, clean room for something that looked more like his end-of-school oral exam than an actual human market's auction.
Tubbo pressed his lips together in a narrow line, fighting a sense of disgust and dull pain.

After all, he should be grateful to them - he wasn't treated like a sack of breeding meat, which he was, after all, by law. He was even offered a cookie, which he politely declined.

"Tubbo Underscore?"

He looked up, miraculously holding back a sudden fit of hysterical laughter, to see the headmaster of his old school at the head of the table.

Philza fucking Minecraft.
What a surprise!

Well, of course, after all, the entire political figures of the server had to be there.
He looked at the man almost defiantly, noticing the compassion in his gaze. Disgusting.
'As if you're not the reason I'm here… '

'Tub... "

"Yes. " He interrupted older, which caused quite a stir and a quiet murmur of indignation among the deliberators. "J. Schlatt's son, born 24th of December, goat hybrid and omega; formally remaining without a partner after that one prince Charming turned out to be a pussy not an Alpha and run away to his daddy who forbade him to marry me. "

"I see you still have a foul tongue and don't know how you should address Alpha… "

"Yep… You know Phil… Education kinda sucks in our country and I think it failed a bit in my case, yikes." Tubbo didn't know where this sudden surge of animus came from. On the one hand, his heart thudded in his chest, aware that he should shut up, lower his head and play the silent, humble omega.
But on the other hand… Hybrid had stopped fooling himself already. The moment he saw who was participating in the auction he realized that it could only get bad, or worse. Most of these people were absurdly predictable and obvious.

If he ended up in Eret's hands - there was a chance he would become a private servant at the castle. Or a member of the harem. Actually, the vision of walking half naked in muslin and gold sounded the best of it all. Pretty nice future. Especially if the alternative was the others.
Sam – oh dear gods, he will probably die after two or three weeks of grind in strip mines stretching under the entire server, while looking for redstone. Besides, Tubbo had heard what the green-haired man had done to his last omega. Poor Ponk, they were together for ages and hybrid did not hesitate for a second before poisoning them and cutting their arm off.  Rumors about the prison guard and his sick obsession over Pandora had been circulating for a long time.
Foolish looked like a decent lad - he was Mrs Puffy's son, after all, and Tubbo actually didn't suspect him of exaggerated cruelty, but let’s be real. Foolish was a known builder and architect - it was clear he wasn't looking for a lover just for free power to work on his desert Summer Home or other extremely dangerous bases.
Quackity and his Las Nevadas - secure job as a cheap whore in one of the nightclubs...
And the last but not least - Technoblade.
Tubbo felt his skin suffer under the sheer weight of Pinkette's gaze. He swallowed his saliva praying in his spirit that the piglin wasn't interested in small, worthless omega.

If, years later, someone asked him to recreate exactly what the auction looked like… hybrid wouldn't be able to. It was mix of strange, unpleasant and just scary moments.
For the next forty minutes he was answering dryly any questions about his health, background and specific skills while listening to inarticulate comments about his figure, "breedable hips", "flat belly that would look gorgeous filled with pups", "mouth perfect to suck alpha's cock for hours" and "delicate neck that you'd want to grab and strangle until purple furrows were left on it".

People were flipping more amounts, which quickly changed from "seven nuggets of silver" to emeralds and gold. Tubbo was unable to take his eyes off the shifting sand in hourglass even for a split second, feeling himself growing weaker with each passing moment.
The auction stood at five blocks of diamonds, thrown by Techno. All the rest were debating whether it was worth bidding on.
'Please... Someone... Anyone but the Blade.’

And then, when almost all hope was lost he heard sweet, calm voice.
"Sorry to interrupt. . . " The coordinator entered the room, holding in her hands a piece of paper that looked like a hastily written check. "this came in a moment ago… You should look at this Phil. "

'Niki?’

The boy turned his head for a second. Niki walked over and slid a hand over his shoulder, squeezing it in an encouraging gesture. She handed the check to Philza as the last grains of sand fell into the lower chamber of the hourglass - announcing the end of the auction.

"Netherite bar" read the man slowly.
A murmur of disbelief ran through the assembled people. Who in their right mind would want to pay that much for an unwanted omega?
For a split second, a shadow of hope appeared in Tubbo's heart.

‘That definitely must be Tommy.’
It flashed through his mind, feeling his heart speed up. Tears of happiness rolled down his cheeks. Common sense was pushed into the background, and any doubts like "how could a teenage alpha living in a dirt shack manage to amass a small fortune?" or "if it was him, why didn't he come over last night?"
It didn't matter.
It had to be Tommy. There was no doubt about it!

'Screw you Phil!
Tommy loves me more than he fears you old man!'

Tubbo wanted to shout all his relief right in blonde’s face. Soon enough, in a few hours he would be in his best friend's arms, able to breathe after all the horror, laughing with him. They'll be able to go DreamXD knows where, as long as they're far away from that damned server and its sick rules.
And… How about… Maybe in a few years their small, alcohol-infused kisses will become more than the mistakes of their youth?
Maybe one night Tommy will put his arms around his waist, pull him close and start kissing Tubbo’s like the world ceased to exist, and then… then… moves his hands lower, pressing harder so the omega can feel how swollen his mate is, and pushes him to his knees…

- * -

"Ranboo. Ranboo the Beloved. " Philza finally read the name on the cheque, trying to remain calm.

"The fuck?!" shouted Tubbo, snapped out of his daydream.
In an instant his vision about happy future blurred into thin air, and he felt as if someone had stabbed him right in the heart. "That's impossible…" he muttered some more almost silently, slipping inertly into a chair.

Last thing he nothing before losing consciousness was how Technoblade tear himself furiously from the table, hitting the tabletop with an open palm. Pinkette was screaming something. But what?
It was not important.
Deal was sealed.

And then darkness fell.

Chapter Text

Tubbo woke up, feeling his body shake.
He was in some kind of vehicle - probably a covered carriage, judging by the wooden walls and the red curtain covering the window. The dim, reddish light and silence broken by the clatter of hooves on the cobblestones gave it all a rather eerie atmosphere.

"You're awake. " He heard a voice from the other sit. He turned his heavy and aching head, looking for the source of sweet and happy sound. In the seat across was his coordinator. Upright, with her foot planted on her leg, she seemed even more professional than when they first met. And yet there was a strange warmth radiating from this little woman.

"Miss Niki? Where are we? How did I ended here?" Tubbo rose slowly, trying to sit, but his vision was still blurry and oh God, his head fucking hurt. He pressed his palms to forehead, trying to hold back the gag reflex. Just what he needed, vomiting in the official carriage!

"You passed out at the meeting. " She said softly slipping him a bottle of water. "We are on our way to Snowchester - to Mr. Beloved's estate. "

Fuck.

He already forgot.
His life was worth a bar of netherite.

"What about my stuff that was left at home? I didn't have time to pack. " He admitted shyly. To be fair... Tubbo hadn't expected things to happen so quickly. No one warned him.

The girl furrowed her brows gently, thinking for a moment.
"According to the law, your old house will be assigned to Mr Beloved's assets. Whether he allows you to take private trinkets depends entirely on his goodwill..." Woman paused for a moment, as she saw real sadness all over omega's face. Tubbo drew his knees to his chin, leaning against the carriage wall. "... But as I know Ranboo, he shouldn't mind." She added more cheerfully.

Hybrid quickly wiped away tears pushing at his eyes. He didn't even want to ask how the coordinator knew his 'husband' so well.
Maybe... Maybe he should? It's always better know your enemy better.

"Ah! I would forget!" Niki quickly reached into her bag piled on the seat next to her. She pulled out a sealed envelope and slipped it to the omega. "It came with the check. It's addressed to you, so... I hid it from the Alphas. They don't need EVERYTHING, am I right?" She admitted, lowering her voice to a whisper.

'Who'd have thought you'd make such a bad girl'
It rolled off his tongue, but in the end he merely smiled with undying gratitude, rotating the envelope in his hand.
Envelope was made of thick, decorative paper. One of the more expensive ones, he stated. Sealed with a nice, wax seal with an illustration of an eye of ender stamped on it and signed in elegant italics. He broke the seal. A key on a gold chain and a perfumed piece of stationery fell out of the envelope. Tubbo spread the letter in his lap, ignoring a key for a moment.

Dear Tubbo,

I believe I owe you an explanation. First of all I would like to apologize to you, however for personal reasons I was unable to attend the auction in person. Unfortunately, my health and taking care of Michael don't allow me to leave the house.

When you arrive in Snowchester go straight to the mansion. There are blizzards forecast for the evening - it would be extremely unfortunate to have to search for husband under a layer of snow. I admit I'd rather avoid that.

In the envelope you will find a key. Keep it with you at all times. Your bedroom is on the first floor, next to stairs. With Niki's help, I tried to outfit the room with everything you would need. However, if you miss anything - please let her know.
You probably have a lot of questions on your mind. Questions that I believe in time I will be able to answer for you. But for now, I ask you to listen carefully to Niki - I've given her all the rules that apply in Snowchester.

With best regards and devotion,
your husband,
Ranboo the Beloved

Tubbo read the letter a couple of times, each time feeling more and more consternation and uncertainty.
What he's gotten himself into…

"Is Mr. Beloved seriously ill? Is it something fatal?" he asked, trying to hide the shadow of amusement in his voice. It would be extraordinarily ironic if his ‘spouse’ just fucking died out shortly after the wedding, making him a fabulously rich and young widow.
The law was much kinder to omegas who had lost their soulmates.

Tubbo felt a slight stab in his heart, only now realizing that he would miss the wedding.
His oath of devotion and loyalty would be limited to a dry signature on a few copies of documents. Nothing more than just pages and pages of paperwork that can be shortened to a simple "sign here to confirm that this man owns you now".

There will be no wedding.
There will be no joy, no cake.
There will be no games or dancing.
He will never walk down the aisle dressed in beautiful silks, and Tommy will never put a ring on his finger.
Tommy. . .
Tubbo felt a sudden tightening in his throat, feeling tears force their way to his eyes for the umpteenth time that day. Just the thought of the blond made him weak.
And they say you can't be heartbroken over someone you've never been with.

"As far as I know it's nothing fatal. On the other hand, he needs a long rest - he avoids to leaving his rooms, and asked not to be disturbed or intruded upon unnecessarily."
The boy nodded.
Wonderful, so he was bought by some isolated, ailing freak who didn't even want contact with him. This whole situation was getting more and more absurd.

"In the letter… He mentions something about rules... I don’t get it."

"Yes. Mr. Beloved takes the established rules very seriously. It's mostly a matter of staying safe… But… There are a lot of rumors about this mansion, Tubbo. " The woman began nervously tapping her colored fingernails against her knee. The boy just gave her a questioning look. "Well… The property is very old. It is said to have existed for centuries - the oldest wing and cellars date back to the early 18th century. It was built on the orders of a mad aristocrat who… Hmm... Let’s say Sir Billiam the 3rd was not a good man. Many cruel and unexplained things happened within the walls of this house."

"So. . It's haunted?" laughed the omega. He was far from believing in supernatural phantoms and damned souls. The world was a cruel enough place without bullshit monster stories.

"Apparently. But like I said… It's just a very old, decayed house. One careless step and you can fall straight into the some secret dungeons. That's why no one is allowed to go down to the basements or the left wing. It is still unrepaired and in danger of collapse.”

Okay, that explanation sounded logical, he had to admit.
"Don't wander around unnecessarily. Noted. What else?" He nodded.

"You are not allowed to leave your bedroom after midnight. The curtains should be drawn, but the door open. "

"Does this have to do with ghosts too? The house is haunted by some demented butler's ghost?" laughter stung slightly in his throat as he noticed the slight disappointment on the coordinator's face. "Sorry…"

"Tubbo, do I need to remind you that it is your duty as omega and husband to respect the Alpha's will and comply with his instructions?"

"No… Of course not." He lowered his gaze, feeling like a child being reprimanded by a teacher. There was an awkward silence in the carriage for several minutes that stretched into infinity. He took a few deep breaths, cradling the letter in his hands. "I am so sorry Ms. Niki. This is all new to me. And it's just, I am dealing with it well " he managed to choke out, trying to wipe away his tears.
The Girl tilted her head gently, shifting from her seat to the seat next to the omega. She embraced him carefully in soft hug.

"Everything will be fine. I know you're scared…" she said quietly, patting him on the back. The boy reflexively snuggled into her tighter. There was a gentle, caring scent from the woman, as if he had an older sister by his side. "That's why I'm here and I'm going to help you, okay?"

Tubbo nodded quickly.
"The last thing you need to know about is Michael," the woman said finally, after few moments of silence.
"Who?"
"You don't know who Michael is?"
"I have no idea. " He admitted honestly. "Ran… I mean Mr. Beloved only mentioned in the letter that he could not leave the house because he takes care of someone called Michael."
Niki nodded her head.
There was a strange grimace of relief on her face that Tubbo couldn't figure out. It was as if the girl was glad the alpha remembered the mention of this Michael at all. She grunted quietly, wrapping her neck a little tighter with her scarf. It was only then that Tubbo noticed that the vehicle had become much cooler. They had to cross the border of biomes and enter the winter one. And that meant that they were inexorably approaching Snowchester….

"Michael Beloved is your husband's son, from his first marriage. I suspect it was because of him that he decided to buy you at the auction. " Tubbo gave her a questioning look. "The office has your documents Tubbo… You graduated from the Academy with outstanding achievements. As the only omega, you were among the top ten students of your year - that's something extraordinary."

The boy answered nothing, feeling a slight taste of bitterness in his throat. That was first time ever, he was praised for his good academic performance. From his school days, he mostly remembered the reluctance of his teachers, who advised him to ‘focus on cooking and biology classes, and leave physics and engineering to the real males’ and the constant reminder that ‘alphas like the cute and graceful omegas, not the clever ones.’
You don't need a degree to bear children and take care of a home.
He didn't know what to reply to the compliment, so he simply remained silent, looking out through the curtain at the snow-covered forest tract.

"Did that boy… Michael… Is his mother dead?" he finally asked quietly. He felt his heart thudding much harder in his chest than before. Getting married was one thing, but becoming an overnight nanny, surrogate mother, or whatever you preferred to call it, was something else entirely. It hit right at the omega's maternal instincts.
Instincts that Tubbo was damned afraid of.

"It's a little bit more complicated…" Niki responded and quickly looked away. For omega it was clear that the woman knew something more, but she did not want or just couldn’t say more about it.
Maybe it was something scandalous? Divorce? Some illegal romance or misalliance?
Actually Tubbo couldn’t care less.
There was a living child, who will soon be under his care. And even with years of domestic care classes… He had no idea how handle real kid. Therefore, it did not surprise him when Niki changed the subject immediately. "Michael is a wonderful child. He is almost eight years old, but he is very well brought up and obedient. He should start school soon, but sadly he is sikly- which is why he needs a good tutor."

"And I shall become one?"

The coordinator nodded with a smile.
"Listen Tubbo… This is a huge opportunity for you. Trust me, Ranboo does not see the world beyond his son, but child needs an omega’s love. A motherly love. If you let yourself to love Michael too.. I believe believe you will be able to create a happy family. You deserve it. Both of you."

He snorted a silent laugh, trying to keep his mouth shut. Does anyone who buys poor omegas in public auctions deserve anything?
No.

~ * ~

The carriage jerked as it began to slow down, to finally stand still.
They arrived. The door leaned with a fiddle.

Niki got off first, putting on her coat, while talking the bald coachman named Jack.Tubbo ignored their joyful conversation and laughter, feeling even more anxious.
The mansion was huge, and it peaked on a small hill above the rest of the small fishing town of Snowchester, which could be seen in the distance. Surrounded by an iron fence with gardens that seemed to drag all the way to the horizon. All covered with a layer of pure snow – clean, beautiful and breathtaking.
And he... the poor omega from L'manburg was supposed to live here?

Tubbo swallowed the saliva overwhelmed by the sudden enormity of the situation. He would have known that someone who with a loose hand throws netherite bars to participate in the Auction must be unimaginably rich, but... Apparently he couldn't imagine how rich.

He slowly followed Niki towards the enormous entrance, trying to stick to the path. On both sides, it passed dark green berries bushes - the only plants that could withstand the harsh conditions of winter biome.

He looked around the spacious lobby. The room, which was illuminated by a large redstone chandelier, was extremely empty. Two pairs of stairs leading to the floor in the center, corridor on the left and right. All the curtains in the windows were already closed. There was nothing personal around. No children's toys, no scattered shoes, no photos on the walls. Nothing.

Tubbo leaned out slightly, trying to see what was in both corridors, but most of the lights outside the chandelier were extinguished. From the corner of his eye he saw an open door to the room, which looked from afar like a library. Tubbo could have sworn that someone was sitting in the armchair by the fireplace, but before he could have asked Niki, he heard a joyful, childlike laugh. Michael, probably.
He would investigate it later, he decided.

"Miss Niki!" the baby's voice was heard. The boy, with a lovely pink curl and a torn pig's nose, ran happily down the stairs, waving his hands.
Girl reached out to him, grabbing the child at the last moment and raising him over his head.
"Hello Michael! How are you, sweetie."
"Why, I am pretty good Miss Niki!" the boy laughed and was put down on the floor. He put his fingers behind his back, straightening himself nicely as soon as Tubbo saw him. "And you must be Mr. Tubbo! Papa said we were expecting you and that I was the one to show you the whole house!"

"Oh..." he could only stamp out, feeling a sudden surge of heat. Hell, that kid was really cute. He threw only a desperate glance at Niki, when he was caught by the hand and pulled into one of the corridors. The woman laughed, waving them goodbye.

She stopped, hearing the door from library creaking .
"I know it's you Ranboo..." she said quietly, feeling the look on her back. “I really hope you are right about him.”
The only thing answer her was incomprehensible, hoarse chirp. The coordinator sighed, when door was shut down.

‘May you be stronger than you seem, Tubbo...’ slipped through her mind. Girl looked over, to big clock hanging above stairs.

The night was approaching.

Chapter Text

                The house tour was... At least very interesting. Admittedly, Tubbo never considered himself a big fan of children - he was tired of their endless amounts of energy, chaotic manner and excessive talkativeness. Spending time with Michael, no less, was among the few nice things that happened to him that day.
Tubbo couldn’t deny it – the boy was, as Niki said, very obedient and well-mannered kid. He was additionally very eloquent for his age, which added to the charm of this whole ’grand tour’. Brunet let himself be guided through the many rooms of the estate, nodding attentively and trying hard to remember the arrangement. It still hadn't occurred to him that overnight, the gloomy corridors and numerous staircases, more like a ghostly maze than a proper place to live, had become his new home. He tried not to think about his small flat in the city, currently abandoned and forgotten.

"Here is the kitchen." pink haired boy presented the spacious room, spreading his arms as wide as he was able to. Omega felt a small pit in his stomach as he felt the pleasant smell of meat wafting through the air and the heat coming from the large tiled stove standing in the corner. This place must been beautiful in its years of glory. Nowadays, most of the furniture was already bitten by the tooth of time: the paint was coming off the kitchen cabinets in some places, a couple of tiles on the floor had cracks, and the table standing in the middle was leaning slightly on uneven legs. Tubbo wasn't sure if he would risk putting anything on it. Michael, on the other hand, seemed far less critical. He hopped gleefully from foot to foot, displaying every little nook and cranny. "This is my favourite place! It's very, very warm here in the morning. It always smells of oranges and chocolate here. Mrs Niki makes pancakes every day. You must try them!"

"Does Ms. Niki live here?"

It was one of those things he couldn't understand. The man was certainly not short of money to pay good nannies and teachers for his son, especially if he could provide them with a place to live and a good salary. He had Niki on hand, who had to be at least a beta since she worked in an official position. There were too many puzzles missing from this whole puzzle.

“Yes, she does!” Michael nodded, as eager as ever for answers and explanations. "When I was a kid we lived somewhere else, but then Papa decided we'd be better off here and we moved here. Together with Mrs Niki and Jack. Have you met Jack yet, Mr Tubbo? He looks after the horses and he's not afraid of them. I am a bit scared, but not much! Just a bit! My father promised he'd teach me to ride when I was a bit older. I am not allowed to for now, but Jack lets me feed them apples and sugar. It's my favourite thing to do."

"Hm... I understand."
Nope, he still didn't understand. With every moment, the situation became more and more confused.

Tubbo, however, did not have much time to reflect on the relationship between Mr Beloved and his staff, for he was already being dragged by the hand into another of the corridors, lit only by lamps. They entered the first floor.
Okay. Kitchen on the ground floor, then up the stairs in the main hall to the top.
He was not keen on wandering around the mansion like a child in a fog for the rest of his life.

“The paintings are all o-ri-gi-nal. That means they were painted by hand, a very long time ago. So long ago that even Papa wasn't alive then. Probably grandpa was. My grandfather is very old, you know Mr. Tubbo? He doesn't live with us, but sometimes he visits me and he always brings a cake. And then papa whines that I am not allowed to eat cake, but I get it anyway."

Tubbo struggled to keep up with the boy's stream of thoughts, trying to make any sense out of it. So he would still have his petrified grandfather on his mind? That wasn't in the contract. Or at least it wouldn't be if he was given a contract to sign at all. Or if he could decide anything. He sighed silently, focusing his attention on the paintings strung along the corridor.

"Papa said these are the former residents of this house. They must have lived here a long time ago, because I've never seen anyone dressed so ridiculously. Well, except for Hubert."

"Hubert?" Tubbo furrowed his brow. It was the first time that name had been said, he was sure of it.  Michael brightened. "He's my friend. My favourite friend to be honest! Come on, I'll show him to you!"

Another child and another mystery?

Michael ran quickly to one of the portraits. He pointed his finger at it exclaiming joyfully "this is Hubert! Tubbo tried with all his might to hide his surprise, so he looked at the picture. The boy, a blond boy with a very fair complexion, was depicted dressed as a butler or other servant. In his embrace he held a white poodle with a particularly stupid expression on its muzzle.

He breathed a slight sigh of relief. Hubert must have been some imaginary friend of Michael's. The kid certainly didn't have much company from people his own age, perpetually confined within the confines of the mansion.

"Nice to meet you Hubert." Tubbo nodded before the picture, smiling warmly. Since the boy was so keen to notice his 'friend', the omega had no problem at all playing his game for a while. Michael giggled out loud.

"Don't be silly Mr. Tubbo! Hubert is standing right there." The boy pointed his finger into an empty, dimly lit corridor somewhere behind the brunet's back. Omega felt the hair on his head go astray. Entering, he looked around carefully enough to know that nothing should be there. And certainly not a kid straight out of a horror movie. Was he already paranoid or had it really gotten that much colder in the hallway? He swallowed, chastising himself in his mind.  He turned his head very slowly.
As he had expected, the corridor was completely empty.

"Michael... It's not nice to scare others, you know that right?" He asked, gently shaking his head. The pink-haired boy immediately stopped giggling. He was now looking at the omega with sadness.

"Oh... I'm sorry Mr. Tubbo. I didn't mean to..." he muttered quietly, lowering his head. Still every now and then he looked under his shoulder at the corridor leading to the left wing. "Let's go on perhaps?"

Shit. I fucked up.
Tubbo walked quickly over to the boy, crouching beside him and placing his hands gently on his shoulders. Michael merely tugged his nose in response, looking up at him.

"Hey, boss man. Nothing happened. Come on... What's with the sad face? Maybe... Why don't you tell me more about these paintings before we go? I am sure one of these is your absolute favourite!"

The boy nodded, forgetting his sorrows in an instant. Children were much simpler to handle than adults. Tubbo smiled broadly, grabbing Michael's hand and following him along the pictures. Numerous portraits and landscapes, scenes from life, immortalised forever, had to depict the family history of the owners of the estate. Most of them were signed. In the semi-darkness it was easy to read the golden, dust-covered plaques: 'Lady Lyaria in the gardens', 'Sir Billiam with his faithful Butler'...  Could they be Mr Beloved's distant ancestors?

"This one is very nice." Michael stopped in front of a sizable painting. Tubbo glanced at the plaque: 'midnight lovers' meeting'.

The painting showed a couple sitting by a pond, in the shade of rose bushes. The man was leaning over his lover dressed in a long green gown. Their faces expressed pure love and devotion. Tubbo stared at the canvas for a long moment, wondering how such a pure and beautiful feeling could be captured.

So this is what love looks like, heh?

"It's a really nice painting Michael. I didn't think you were such a romantic." he laughed heartily, patting the boy gently on the back.

"Nah, love is bleh.” boy gagged a little.
Well, yes. He could have expected such a reaction from an eight-year-old. Love was 'bleh'. After all, he was almost an adult. "It's just... They're a lot like my parents, you know Mr Tubbo? I like to imagine they are their great-great grandparents. And since they were very important lords, that would mean me too! I would be Lord Michael. That would be great. But now let’s get going. I have more rooms to show you, and they are my absolutely…"

“… favourite?”

Michael gasped.
“How did you know? Are you some sort of magician?!” he lowered his voice to a whisper. "Can you read minds? Tell me what I'm thinking about right now!" he tightened his fingers on his temples, clenching his eyes, thinking about something very hard.

"Mmm... You're thinking about... hot chocolate." Tubbo tried to guess, crossing his fingers. A few more points of respect would be nice.

"Oh. You're not a magician, though. I was thinking of biscuits. Admittedly they were with chocolate, so maybe you just need to train more?" The boy nodded seriously. Finally, they stood in front of the blue door. He pushed it open. "This is my playroom. But Papa said it won't be long before this is my classroom. A real one like at school!

Tubbo looked inside. Unlike the rest of the mansion, the room seemed much more cosy and warm. Fluffy, colourful carpets were laid out on the wooden floor. Wooden boxes with blocks and toys stood stacked in different parts of the room, various colourful pictures and a blackboard hung on the walls.    Various books were lined up on the shelves, children's books - judging by the covers. There wasn't much furniture in the room - just two desks, one evidently suited to a young child, the other designed for an adult.

"Miss Niki says you are very clever and will teach me many important things like geography or mathematics. But I already know maths! I can count to five. One, two, four..."

"Three." corrected him reflexively.

"Three?" The boy wrinkled his nose, stretching his fingers out in front of him. For a few seconds he tried to count them, but 'three' didn't fit.

"Yes. One, two, three, four, five."

"Oh, wow. Ms. Niki was right. You are very wise indeed."

Tubbo smiled warmly. He couldn't deny it, Michael was absolutely heartwarming. He stormed the omega's heart with an eloquence and charm unmatched for his age. Mr Beloved couldn't be such a bad person if he managed to raise such a wonderful child, could he?
They both turned on the threshold hearing a soft female voice calling "Michael?" from somewhere on the side of the stairs. Tubbo breathed a little sigh of relief upon spotting Niki heading towards them.She was wearing a white kitchen apron over her casual attire.

"Michael I asked you not to trouble Tubbo too much." she stretched her arms out in front of her and Michael obediently let go of the brunet allowing himself to be lifted. He rested his pink haired head against her shoulder, yawning quietly.

"No, really Michael has helped me a lot. I think he's my favourite guide!"

"You see, Ms. Niki? I told you I could handle it!"

"I see I see." the woman nodded slightly. "But I think today we will let Tubbo rest. He's had a hard day and I'm sure he'll be happy to lie down, right?" It was only when she said it out loud that the omega felt how tired he was. He hadn't realised how nasty and hard, both mentally and physically, his day had been. Therefore, he merely nodded his head. "Your sleeping quarters are at the end on the left. It's very easy to get there. I brought you dinner there. I suspect you'd rather eat it in peace tonight."

"Thank you Niki. For… For everything."

"You're welcome. All right, I'm taking our little man out of here. It's long past his bedtime."

"Oi, I'm not little... I'm a big man!" the boy was already practically asleep in her arms. She laughed softly, shaking her head. She threw Tubbo a meaningful look clearly saying 'ah those kids' and moved off in the opposite direction, leaving the omega alone.

The big man.
Tubbo felt his heart go up to his throat in an instant. One silly phrase brought back a lot of unwanted memories. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't get the image of 'his' big man out of his mind. Even if it didn't matter now. He forced himself to smile, standing still for a moment, just in case Niki turned towards him. When she finally disappeared from his sight he moved towards his new room.
Actually, finding the room was not exceptionally difficult. He passed just two doors - from behind one of them came the quiet sound of a violin. He stopped for a moment to listen to the melody, but immediately continued on his way. He did not want to be caught eavesdropping on the very first day.
He reached his place.

The room was rather austere - the only decoration was the patterned, dark green and certainly age-old wallpaper on the walls. Evening light streamed into the room through a huge window, dampened somewhat by the frost covering the glass. All furniture was wooden, slightly bitten by the teeth of time. A wardrobe standing against the wall, an empty bookcase, a small secretary. There was also a neatly made bed and a chest of drawers.

He ignored everything as he approached the last piece of furniture, guided mainly by the pleasant smell. True to Niki's words, he found a silver tray with dinner on the counter - a plate of what looked like a piece of meat pie with potatoes and a pot. Omega sighed pouring himself some tea into a cup. He squatted on the bed with the tray on his lap. Only now did he notice the gift-wrapped package lying nearby. He decided to have a look at it later - the pleasant smell and the oppressive burbling in his stomach effectively made him deal with dinner first.

"Ugh. Get it together Undercore." He muttered to his reflection in his tea.
To be fair… Things could have gone a lot worse.
He was still alive, sitting on a comfortable bed, getting food... So far everyone he met had been nice to him and no one planned to hurt him. Mr. Beloved didn't even show up, so he probably didn't care. That was a good thing too. He could have ended up with a sleazy old man who would have shoved his hand down his trousers the first moment he met him. An absent Alpha - that's a non-existent Alpha. He could live with that.

He swallowed a piece of pie, enjoying the taste of the well-seasoned meat. So far, everything that had happened to him had been 'strange' at best.

A large, possibly haunted mansion on a hill? Check.

A mysterious, absurdly rich "spouse"? Check.

An eccentric child whose past he shouldn't ask about? Check.

It felt a bit like a quirky historical romance that he happened to sneak from the library back in the days when censorship wasn't quite so tight. A poor omega plucked from the gutter, falling in love with the lonely yet unearthly handsome heir to a vast fortune?
They would have their lovers arc and his husband would die of a mysterious illness, making him a very sad young widow with a child. Or maybe he would get into an affair with that bald Jack who would quietly poison his husband. Tubbo as befits a faithful wife would immediately hand him over to the police, weeping terribly over the loss of the love of his life.

What could he say?

'Oh, woe is me! My husband has tragically perished, leaving me with this wealth and our giant mansion. Prime bless his soul!

Tubbo laughed at the mere image of himself showered with gold jewelry, clad in silks and a feather-decorated long dressing gown. It was a pity that reality was not as beautiful as in all those books. He set the porcelain plate carefully back on the dresser top.
Having eaten, he felt much calmer, more confident.

So far, everything looked bizarre, but not particularly dangerous - he had a feeling that maybe... maybe he would even be able to handle it all.

Tubbo reached carefully for the gift left on the bed. On top lay several sheets folded evenly, written in the same calligraphic handwriting as the letter he had received from Niki in the carriage. No doubt further instructions from his 'husband'.
He looked through them carefully. One sheet contained the exact daily schedule planned for Michael, including all the little details like meal times, bath and bedtime, or even the lessons planned, along with the subjects the boy was to learn. Nothing too difficult - a little arithmetic and algebra, writing and reading, science. Everything a young boy should learn at school. Next one contained the typical advice that parents left to the babysitters: "don't let Michael eat biscuits before dinner", "hide small gold objects from him", "you must always keep him in sight, especially when playing outside", "he must not go outside the property on his own", "a maximum of one hour a day out of the house - he must be dressed warmly", "he is allergic to chocolate - he can be very persuasive, but he must not eat it", "no scary stories before bed".
Another contained a short list of emergency phones with brief notes. Again - something that should be hanging on the fridge, but apparently Ranboo thought the omega should have it with them just in case.
Niki N. - workplace- can be contacted between 8am and 3pm.
Ponk - medical clinic - contact for medical emergencies. He usually answers no matter what time it is. If not - try to contact Sam.
Tubbo hung his gaze on the last number. For some reason the short comment was underlined, with numerous exclamation marks all around.Whoever the mysterious contact was, Mr. Beloved clearly did not want to alarm him unnecessarily.
A.C. - contact only as an absolute last resort!!!

Tubbo set the cards aside, turning the package itself over in his fingers for a moment.  He unwrapped it carefully. Inside, he found a long, white nightdress made of a soft, muslin-like material. Tubbo bit his lower lip slightly, feeling the heat hit his cheeks. It was... an extremely intimate gift.
Even if he had received it on the occasion of his wedding.
Aside from the pyjamas, in the package he still found a thin dressing gown, a blindfold for sleeping and a small card:

“Tubbo,
please accept this small gift. I thought it would give you pleasure.
You only get married once! I know it's not much and it's probably not how you imagined it all, but I believe that despite all the inconsistencies of fate you and Ranboo will be happy together.
Give him a chance.
I hope you don't mind me checking your size in the official documents :)
PPS. I also heard that someone will be visiting you in the evening. Probably around ten, so be ready!

Love,
Niki”

Tubbo froze.

The fear that had disappeared somewhere before - suddenly returned with redoubled force. How could he have been so stupid. How could he forget one of the most important marriage laws he had been taught and reminded of year after year. For a marriage to be recognized the omega must be claimed in next 24 hours.

"I can't... I can't do it." He felt panic sweep over him. He didn't know what time it was, how much time he had left. He tossed his nightgown aside, taking a few steps over to the window. It was already completely dark outside. He could not even tell how far he was from the ground. He was on the first floor, but that knowledge didn't do much for him. If he tried to escape he would probably break his legs, or worse.

He opened the window wide, letting the icy air into the room.
It sobered him up a bit.

And then he heard a quiet knock on the door.
Fuck.

Chapter Text

Maybe he acted a bit like a child... But hearing the knock, Tubbo immediately jumped out of bed, looking for any way out. He had completely forgotten that he was on the first floor of an absurdly high mansion. Awareness of this fact returned when boy reached the window and looked out of it.

High. And dark. Fuck.

Omega stepped away immediately. Especially since someone once again knocked on the door.
He could hide under the bed… or in the closet… or maybe in the bathroom connected to the room. He could also pretend he wasn't there. Ha! Tubbo Underscore never existed! Never arrived! It was just a social experiment.

Finally, the next time someone knocked on the door, Tubbo decided that there was no need to wait any longer.

"It's time to face the destiny of Underscore" he said to himself under his breath. Straightened up. Gave himself some more courage. He will die with honor and pride, while breaking whole system.  Just like in fifth grade when he beat up Antfrost for being asshole. Yeah. Down with regime and the Alphas. "Please! Come in" He called a little louder.

He felt ready and prepared for EVERYTHING...
Okay. Everything except for the creature that had just entered the bedroom. The man was tall. Damn tall. So fucking tall that he had to bend down when passing through the door. In a room plunged into semi-darkness, Tubbo wasn’t able to see many details. He knew his alpha was elegant and slim. His skin was white as snow on one side and as black as obsidian on the other. Could it mother-skeleton and very brave Enderian father?  Longer hair and small horns protruding from under it. Similar to his. Sweet. Mr Beloved also had a long tail ended with lock of black and white hair, which now shuffled on the dusty floor.

The newcomer was dressed in a simple white shirt, suit trousers and a matching vest.  Tubbo —still dirty after the worst day of his life, in his crooked, crumpled shirt and stretched green sweater, looked like officials had pulled him out of the L’manburg sewers.
'To be fair… It was a bit like that.' He thought sadly.

They were silent for a long moment, glancing at each other uncertainly. Like two teenagers on a rigged date, too awkward to get anything out of it.

"I hope you don't mind that I'm still in normal clothes, but this gift is a bit..." Tubbo began nervously, trying to smooth his hair a little. As if that would help.

"A gift? What gift?"
His "husband" had a pleasant, deep voice. That… was nice. He sounds… kind.

Tubbo just pointed to the nightgown abandoned on the bed. He heard a faint snort, as if Alpha had choked, trying to stop the fit of laughter or embarrassed cough.

"Niki... Niki is trying very hard. Sometimes even too hard, as you can see. I'll talk to her about it, omega."

'Extra. And that's it for the first good impression, Mister.’
The boy pursed his lips.  Great – he may not have ended up in the bed of a grumpy old man, or in the mines working from dawn to dusk, but apparently his ‘husband’ was a typical aristocratic buffoon.

"I have a name."  He mumbled under his breath, hoping that the hybrid would not hear him. Unfortunately, Tubbo apparently underestimated Enderman’s heightened senses. It was awful. And hurts a lot. Since his Alpha wasn't even interested in knowing about him something as trivial a name, he probably thought it was worthless. After all, people were giving names even to pets or even some important objects! They became attached. His husband apparently decided not to get any emotional attachment. Maybe he just didn't plan to keep omega with him for too long?

"I'm aware of that." Enderman replied. In a few steps, he walked the distance between the threshold of the room and the bed, sitting on clean bedsheets. "Come."

Tubbo reluctantly abandoned his strategical position.
He would love nothing more but ignore order in pure and childish rebellion against Alpha, against this whole sick system, but he decided that it was better not to strain luck. The hybrid seemed to be a rather patient and self-controlled creature, but this could only be illusion.
Still, he walked as slowly as he could, his eyes fixed on the floor. One of the few things he remembered from school about the Endermans was their hatred for direct eye contact and allergy to water.

Maybe solution to all his problems was as easy as pouring a bucket of water on Mr Beloved?
He sat on the edge of the bed, keeping a safe distance.

"Undress."
Of-fucking-course.  So much for kindness and being civil.

Tubbo swallowed, taking of his warm sweater with trembling hands and unbuttoning his shirt. He slipped the fabric off his shoulders, but a slender hand stopped him from unbuttoning the rest of the buttons.

"That's enough."

Tubbo breathed a sigh of relief. Ranboo's hands were warm and dry, but he had sharp claws. Omega's heart pounded in his chest as the hybrid grabbed him carefully by the bare shoulders. Enderman turn him slightly while bringing them closer to each other. Tubbo was now sitting with his back to the man who in a few moments was about to take everything he had in his life. Consciously or not. It didn't matter. He was shaking, but Alpha didn't seem to notice. Or he just decided to ignore it.

As soon as omega felt warm breath on his neck and scent glands, he jumped forward as if burned.  And that was it. Last remains of pride and honor disappeared in thin air. The knowledge of complete failure completely paralyzed him. It was as if he speedrun through the first stages of grief for his freedom and now was stuck on negotiations.

"No!" he plead, feeling pain and panic tighten his throat. "Wait a minute!"

"Omega..." Ranboo's voice, so far calm and polite, struck a slightly different tone. He still didn't seem angry. He sounded more like he was surprised that the boy jumped away so abruptly.

"Wait! Moment! Give me a minute, okay?! Please." sobbed Tubbo, He was gasping for breath. He knew. As an omega, he had no right to refuse – if the Alpha wanted him, Tubbo had no choice but to comply. Lie down and take whatever. But as an ordinary human being - he felt his heart break into millions of pieces. Ranboo might as well have killed him.

But…
Instead of being hit, instead of pain and screaming, omega just felt Enderman carefully pull his shirt back over his shoulders. He heard the quiet shuffling of the sheets, and then the pressure on the mattress eased.
Ranboo… was leaving.
Tubbo turned his head abruptly.

"What are you doing?" He asked desperately, panicked like never in his life. Why did Ranboo act like he cared about the feelings of worthless omega?  He should just take everything, tighten his claws around his neck, press against stubborn brat to the pillow and claim it over by force. Maybe then Tubbo would feel better. Maybe then his pain would have a right to exist, and all this hatred and regret would finally become justified.

"I can't claim you in this state. I'll be back when you calm down." The hybrid stood up. Tubbo grabbed his wrist at the last moment, clenching fingers around it.  Ranboo raised his eyebrows, looking at absolutely terrified omega. He did not move, listening in silence as the hybrid stuttered in tears.

"Nope. Wait a minute!" said Tubbo. He wiped the tearful face with the back of his free hand, trying to calm down as quickly as possible. If Ranboo contacts the Office... If he gives it up...  In the worst case, Tubbo is going to face a life sentence in Pandora. At best – immediate execution. "They're going to kill me. "

Enderman carefully weaved his fingers into the brown curls. With sharp claws, he moved carefully over the boy's scalp, trying to be as gentle as possible. He didn't want to hurt him or make the whole situation worse.
"No one is going to..."

"They'll do it." Tubbo interrupted him, calming down a bit under the soothing touch. "If you reject me on our wedding night, I'm going to face a trial. They're going to kill me. Or they will send to Pandora for being “difficult” and “unable to perform in society”. Never, any omega left Pandora alive. It’s death sentence."

Tubbo heard only a quiet hmm in response, but when he looked up, he saw that Enderman was crouching in front of bed. They still hadn't looked into each other's eyes, but they were now at a similar height. The brunet carefully let go of husband’s wrist.

„I am begging you. Don’t leave. As an omega, there is no way for me to make my own money. Not enough to earn a living or to support my family and if I had my own money, which I don’t, that money would belong to you – to my Alpha the moment we got married. You own everything I’ve ever had in my life. And if we had children, they would be yours not mine. They would be your property, so please… Just understand how hard it is for me. Marriage is nothing than negotiating pain. It may not be for you, but most certainly is for me.”

A deep silent fell into the room. Tubbo calmed down completely somewhere in the middle of his desperate attempt to stop Enderman for leaving the room.

„You are right.”

What?

Tubbo blinked. Because of tears, he could see the hybrid's face as if through a fog, but he could still warn that Ranboo’s black and white skin was covered with tiny scars, most of which were located around the rims of his two-colored eyes. The scars were oblong and stretched along the hybrid's cheeks — old tear marks.

„Marriage is nothing than negotiating pain and believe me – yours is no greater than mine.”  Ranboo continued calmly, capturing the brunet's hands in his own. He moved his fingertips carefully over Tubbo's skin, trying not to hook anything with his claws.  "How about a little deal… I will give you gold, emeralds, whatever you want. I could not care less about money or material possessions. They are worthless for me.”

The boy looked down. Everything felt wrong - like he was making a pact with the devil. But did he have any other choice? Still, he managed to ask a short question, as if the answer mattered.

“And in return?”

“You will stay here. By my side. You will force yourself to smile falsely every time Michael learns something new. You will carry your pain, but you will never say a word about it. You will pretend to be the happiest person in the world. Even if you remain the loneliest one. Because if there is one thing I cannot give you – it’s my love, omega.”

Tubbo closed his eyes for a moment, feeling a lump in his throat.  He would spend his whole life in a golden cage, smiling at will, looking pretty and being stupidly blind to everything. Perfect omega. That or death. Not even a real choice.

"Yes... I agree." He swallowed, forcing himself to smile gently. This smile will be plaster on his face forever. Till death do they part.

"Atta boy... Can we now finish what we started before?"

-* -

Tubbo woke up in the middle of the night feeling someone's gaze on him.

He turned to the side. The wound from claiming bite on the back of the neck still made itself felt, but it was not as bad as it could be. Omega expected something worse, given the circumstances. Still, he felt uncomfortable. His body was subconsciously looking for the warmth and presence of Alpha, but there was no one else in bed. He rose slowly.

Small, wooden watch on the table indicated a quarter to three. Almost a witch hour.
Room was pitch black except for small streak of light from behind the curtains. The sky had to be exceptionally clear, starry. Tubbo looked around the room, seeing no one.

But he heard something. A quiet, childlike sob.

Maybe if he believed in ghosts and other nonsense from horror books – maybe then and only then would he ignore crying. But Tubbo didn't believe in any paranormal things. And more important - he was an omega.
It was this, those primal instincts, that pulled him out of bed.

Hybrid looked out into the hallway. From behind the ajar door to one of the rooms opposite the stairs came a soft, muffled light. It was as if someone was burning a candle or an oil lamp inside. From there came also that quiet cry.

He left bedroom slowly, trying to take careful steps on the old boards. Make no noise.  In the back of his head, he still had one of the rules – "Don't leave the room after midnight."

Bullshit.

Since his main task was to take care of the child, and that one particular child had apparently woken up from the nightmare, all other rules should go fuck themselves.

Tubbo glanced through the crack in the door, only now hearing a soft, unknown masculine voice.
"L'était une petite poule grise...  Qu'allait pondre dans l'église..." the words of what sounded like an old lullaby, in a language Tubbo did not understand, spread throughout the room.
In the warm light of the lantern, omega saw tall, brown-haired man, dressed in an old-fashioned outfit, a white shirt with flounces and black suit pants. He was rocking Michael to sleep.

Tubbo was sure. He somewhere saw already this young man. But where?

"Pondait un p'tit' coco, Que l'enfant mangeait tout chaud..."
Omega held his breath as the man put sleeping boy to bed and covered him with a blanket. Michael snuggled into chicken toy, so Tubbo decided to back off.

He took a step back.
The floor creaked draughtily.

Dark haired man raised his head abruptly and looked from above the Michael’s crib.

They stared at each other for a few seconds, and hybrid felt a shudder of disgust and horror at the sight of the dark red spots on the man's chest, the wall-pale, almost translucent skin. But the worst was pure sadness in his big, brown eyes. The stranger stared without blinking, then moved his lips – though no sound fell from them, Tubbo read the message clearly. RUN.

The door to the room slammed shut with a bang, plunging corridor into total darkness.

Before the omega could move, he felt someone's presence behind him and a hoarse breath. And then the pain when creature tightened the sharp claws on his shoulder.
Only a sudden adrenaline rush allowed him to find the strength to snap out of its grip. Tubbo ran down the hallway as quick as he could, reaching bedroom and slamming the door shut at the last second.

The pain was overwhelming. Omega tried to pull the key off his neck and lock the door, but he couldn't. So, he pressed whole weak body against the cool wood, listening in horror to the sounds of scratching on the other side. Whatever was chasing him tried to get inside at all costs. Prime must have taken care of him, because the creature apparently did not understand how the door handle worked.

Tubbo pressed one hand to injured shoulder, immediately feeling a sticky goo under fingers. He was bleeding. He pressed hand harder to the wound, trying at least stop the bleeding. There was no time for crying and sobbing in pain.

After a few, endless minutes, the being on the other side left. A deep silence fell anew. Omega waited a little longer before finally crawling to bed.

"What the hell is going on here." He mumbled under his breath. A bit like a child, Tubbo hid completely under the covers.  
If he survives - he will apologize for breaking the rules and for the dirty sheets; if not - it will no longer be his problem.

He clenched his eye lids, breathing slowly and deeply - the pain did not go away, but dulled somewhat. One thing (besides the big fucking monster in the hallway of course!) bothered him. Where had he seen this man with such sad eyes before?

Drifting off into a heavy sleep, Tubbo experienced a moment of enlightenment.
Portrait in hallway.
Sir Billiam with his faithful Butler.

“Fuck.”

Chapter Text

Morning came way too soon. 
And although it was his own body that decided to say a firm "enough of this sleep," Tubbo felt as if a herd of horses had run over him. A throbbing headache mingled with the dull tingling of his neck and the oppressive pull of a wound on his shoulder from the night's... nightmare? 
His half-asleep brain couldn't pinpoint exactly what had happened yesterday. 
He rose slowly to sit up, trying to at least determine the level of damage. All the bedding and the pillow were dirty with stagnant blood. Damn knows how long he must have been still bleeding when he finally managed to fall asleep. But not enough apparently to die.

Too bad. A quiet voice in the back of his head prompted. He waved his hand slightly, as if trying to fend off an invisible fly. Don't. 
He promised himself that he would survive this. That he would outlive all the miscreants who had put him through this.
Tubbo moved his hand, which triggered another wave of pain. As he tilted back his torn nightgown he noticed dried blood. The wounds were not extensive, but deep. He was damn lucky - he managed to get out before the monster ripped him to shreds. 
Whatever the creature was - it was certainly not a ghost. Unlike... He shuddered at the memory of the creature he saw in Michael's room. 
It was probably just imagination.
He was tired after a full day of tragic and stressful events. No wonder his brain started playing tricks on him. 

But this creature was not something he had imagined. For that Tubbo had painful proof.

He finally managed to get out of bed. It was neither easy nor pleasant, but the smell of blood was driving him crazy. The whole room smelled musty. Or maybe it was his body that stank? 
Maybe Tubbo had started to rot from the inside and didn't even notice it? He wished for a cool shower and washing all the dirt and sweat off his body. Besides, from moment of claiming, Enderman's smell mixed with his.
Disgusting.

On his way to the bathroom, Tubbo finally opened the curtains, letting the first rays of sunshine into the room. It must have been early in the morning. The birds were singing, the snow in the garden shimmering pure white. Everything seemed almost too perfect.

Curious, omega looked out the window. 
Holy Prime! Some Gods must have been watching over him that yesterday he didn't decide to escape through it. What seemed to be only a few meters away from the ground, was absurdaly long and probably deadly fall. Almost right below his window, the terrain sloped significantly downward, forming a small hole in which dead shrubs and bizarre red roots protruded from under a thin layer of snow. Tubbo had never seen a similar plant in his life, but truth be told... Tubbo hadn't seen many things in his relatively short 19 years of life.

"Come on, Underscore. Keep it together." he growled to himself under his breath. Or was it now 'Beloved'? Or 'Underscore-Beloved'? 

- *- 

"And here's our bride!" the joyful cheer of an unfamiliar voice was the first thing Tubbo encountered when he finally made it to the kitchen. 
After taking a shower, draping a makeshift bandage over his wound, brushing his teeth and putting on clean clothes, he felt much better. Mentally. Physically however - omega still lacked a lot.

However Tubbo even managed to strip his bed sheets and bedclothes and throw them into a tub of ice-cold water with soap. Who would have thought that knowing how to coax blood out, would one day turn out to be useful. Bedroom was still in a state of total chaos, but boy decided that was a problem for later. 
Right now he needed coffee. Preferably in large quantities.

Omega forced himself to fake a soft smile, noticing full company sitting around the table. Ranboo was texting with somebody via communicator, while from time to time handing colored pencils to Michael, who was sitting on his lap.
The little boy was absorbed in painting the children's coloring book attached to the daily morning newspaper. Tubbo almost burst into laughter seeing the huge focus on the child's face as he colored the cat pink. Well. At least it looked like he wasn't going over the lines. Niki, however, was sitting in the chair next to kid, solving a crossword puzzle. She was already partially dressed in her work attire - a blue blazer with White House symbols hung on the backrest. Woman's hair, though, was still in a towel turban. 
"Genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants with hundreds of species, including the cultivated onions, garlic and chives. Six letters. Last might be 'm'."
"Allium." Tubbo replied, still not moving from his place at doorstep. He felt out of place. It was as if he was intruding into the family breakfast like an uninvited guest.
"Hm. It fits." Niki stated, quickly writing the password. She raised her head and sent omega a bright smile. Noticing his embarrassment, she nodded toward the stove. "I left you some coffee. Would you like a cup?"
"Gladly, thank you." The boy exhaled deeply.  With each step he felt the wary gaze of uknown companion on his back. It wasn't Jack. He would remember the almost white hair and darker skin tone, as well red fabric mask. The stranger looked like a visitor, though he felt remarkably at home.

Tubbo finally reached the kettle and froze. Anxiety squeezed his throat again. He didn't even know where the cups or mugs were. Should he ask? Should he look for one? What if he takes one and it turns out to be Mr. Beloved's great-grandmother's favorite utensil? What if he breaks something? God, why was he stressing over such a fuss?
"The cabinet over the sink." Ranboo's voice pulled him down to the ground. Alpha must have sensed his nervousness.
He only muttered a quiet "thank you" and pulled out a plain white cup from the cabinet. Filled it with hot coffee, relishing the soothing, strong scent for a few seconds.
After that Tubbo sat down politely at the table, on the only free chair - next to the stranger.
"Hi Tubbo." The man smiled warmly.
"Um... Hi...?" he hung voice as if trying to remember a name he had no right to know, after all. Everything was getting more and more irrational.

"Ponk." White-haired man finished for him.
"Ah, the doctor. Something happ..?" Tubbo couldn't even finish one sentance, because a cheerful melody spread through the room and a male voice sang a short Nobody wanna see us together, but it don't matter no, 'cause I got you
"Sorry, it's just Sam." Ponk reached into his pocket and muted his communicator. 
Did he just reject a call from Alpha? "Well. A lot has happened, hasn't it? You got married! Congratulations!"
Tubbo pressed his lips together, glancing nervously at Ranboo. The latter did not even for a moment take his eyes off the communicator.
Judging by his furrowed brows, the text conversation Enderman was having wasn't the most pleasant one.
"... Thank you?" Tubbo replied hesitantly, more of a question than a statement of fact. "I still don't quite understand..." he continued. Again. He was interupted. This time by doctor.
"Well marriage is a serious stage in the omega's life. We can't have you stepping onto a new path sick, now can we? Don't worry, it's really just a routine examination ordered by the Office. It will take you both maybe a quarter of an hour."
"Um... Both?" Tubbo furrowed his brow slightly.
"Tubbo. You are now a married omega..." Medic tried to be as gentle as possible, but nodded toward the only Alpha in the room. "According to the Law, Ranboo makes all decisions on your behalf."

Boy felt how the grief and pain that had been squeezing his throat and which had faded since yesterday - came back with redoubled force. Ponk was right. 
The moment Ranboo's fangs sank into his neck, Tubbo lost any remnant of autonomy. If Enderman had been any different he would have had every right to lock his omega away, cut it off from all contact with other people, from health care, from any education. Knowing that he had no right to decide even about his own body was terrifying. Not even hours of school lessons or colorful educational books could prepare anyone for this. 
Tubbo stifled his tears and only nodded his head. Probably didn't even feel like fighting.
Because what was the point, anyway?

- * -

The examination was uncomfortable, to say the least.

It began with a sharp exchange of words already in the kitchen, when Ranboo said he was not at all indispensable and much preferred to finish the conversation with important clients in Las Nevadas. Ponk, on the other hand, was not about to let go. He needed Enderman's signatures on the new health cards and documents anyway, besides 'a little exercise will do you good. I know you're in pain, but you need to walking at least a bit!'. Each argument was met with an offended pmfh. Finally, however, the man kissed Michael on the top of his head and whispered something in his ear. Boy jumped off his lap, taking his coloring book with him and running to library.
To be honest, Tubbo was not surprised by doctor’s persistence one bit. Keeping a job while being an omega required winning the Cartozoan war against bureaucracy. Not to mention remaining a doctor. Even if Ponk was only allowed to care for omegas and children, he already won the golden ticket. Probably if it weren't for Sam...

Tubbo glanced out of the corner of his eye at the sleeve of medic’s smock tied in a knot just below the elbow. Ponk didn't hide his disability, he didn't avoid the subject. Besides, there was no reason to - everyone in town knew that his own Alpha had cut off his arm as punishment for stealing Pandora's entry cards. Apparently, he just wanted to help the sickest prisoners.

That's how good people end up. It flashed through the boy's mind.

To Tubbo's indescribable joy, neither Ranboo nor Ponk commented on the bloody mattress and light mess. The last thing he needed now was a tirade about his duty to keep the house in perfect order. Alpha was seated in an armchair by the window. A bit like a bizarre puppet - completely unnecessary, but essential at the same time.
Tubbo squatted on the edge of the bed, avoiding the blood stain. Most of the questions were childishly simple - requiring only yes or no as an answer. He didn't even have to undress, which allowed him to hide the claw wound on his arm.

Do you feel any pain from the bite? No.

Have you had any adverse symptoms since yesterday? No. Fever? No. Nausea? No. General weakness of the body? Yes. What could be the reason? Probably stress.

"Have you consummated the marriage?"

"We... um..."

"I see blood, so I think I know the answer." Ponk smiled broadly, patting the omega on the knee. There was something between ‘good job’ and ‘you can be proud of yourself’ in that gesture." Tubbo felt a lump rise in his throat. He couldn't lie, so he merely laughed nervously, burying  embarrassed face in his hands. Ponk took this as confirmation."I think there is no need to do any in-depth research. I don't think you want to cheat the system. I have seen your previous health card. You had a full package of tests done before the Auction - all the results are fine, the only thing that concerns me a bit is the weakness." The doctor slipped Ranboo some letters and cards to sign, without interrupting his speech. "This is normal. You've changed the climate, the environment... Try to rest a lot and drink warm beverages. Tea, it can even be warmed water. Over the next few days you may be more susceptible to infections than before, and we wouldn't want that very much."

Tubbo nodded, feeling the stress slowly let go. He was already about to get out of bed and thank the doctor when he slapped his forehead with an open palm.

"I would have forgotten to death. We'll have to set up a new pregnancy calendar for you. I left the paperwork at the clinic, I'll send it through Niki. Just tell me, when did you have your last heat?

Omega went pale. How could he forget that the doctor would definitely bring up the subject. God. He didn't prepare any meaningful answer. Tubbo cast an uncertain glance in his husband's direction, trying to tell Ponk know with minimal gestures how much he did not want to talk about it. The man, however, remained silent, waiting for clear answer.

"About five years ago," Tubbo finally said. Quiet. Very very quiet.

"Tubbo, I asked about the last one, not the first one." Ponk corrected him gently, nodding encouragingly. He probably thought the omega had misheard.

"About five years ago." He repeated stubbornly. Through a throat squeezed with fear, he was unable to get out anything more than a whisper. "After the first fever, doctors prescribed blockers for me."

When medic realized what his patient just said, the atmosphere in the room changed instantly. Even Ranboo raised a surprised look from above the communicator. Ponk opened and closed his mouth for a few moments, like a fish pulled out of water. His gentle smile turned into a grimace of pure shock and disbelief.
"Medicines that can be taken for a maximum of six months! Where did you get the prescriptions from! Good God Tubbo, do you... Do you realize how dangerous and stupid that was? You could have damaged your uterus! You could have become infertile!" Tubbo scowled in horror. He didn't expect the medic to start yelling at him. Tears baked into his eyes as he clenched his eyelids, pulling his knees up to his chin. He couldn't even get anything out of himself to defend himself. He couldn't lie that he didn't know. Of course he knew - that was the whole point! Without the blockers, any omega wouldn't have been able to finish school, to perform better, to feel like actual person, not some cheap sex driven toy."I didn't expect such irresponsibility from omega! It's hard now to even say when you'll be able to get pregnant."

"It doesn't matter." Ranboo spoke up. Although he seemed completely uninterested in the whole situation, hormones suggested otherwise. Tubbo sensed the scent of irritation and suppressed anger in the air. Subtle enough for Ponk to ignore it, but for newly claimed omega... Brunet scowled even more within himself. It's all because of him... Now Ranboo will want to send him away. A useless omega, unable to be loved, unable to give a child. Hopeless case.

"Of course it does. You need puppies. Both of you!" Said the doctor sternly. Meanwhile, Ranboo's irritation turned into outright anger, probably caused by the fact that someone of an inferior breed had the gall to repulse him.

Typical proud Alpha.

"I have Michael. That's enough." Cut off Enderman sharply. Tubbo twitched -  instincts told him that an angry alpha was a threat. Even his own partner. He let the hybrid's words fall on deaf ears, trying to hide what irrational annoyance they caused. Not to Tubbo per se - just to that damned inner omega, who wanted to cry after the slightest rejection. 
But Ponk was apparently used to similar outbursts, because he didn't even flinch, staring at the man with a mixture of indignation and disbelief.

"Every Alpha says that. You'll still be thanking me when we wean Tubbo off his medication." He stroked the omega's brown curls protectively, forcing himself to take a slightly softer tone. "What you did was stupid, but we'll remedy it somehow. You have my word. Over the next few months your body will get used to the natural hormonal state. If anything serious happens just let me know."

Tubbo nodded almost imperceptibly. Pride and bootiness melted away. He felt like a child. Like a father again... He pressed his lips together, biting his lower lip. The slight pain sobered him up. It made him understand what the doctor meant.
If he puts off the drugs then...
"... Will... Will I be in heat again?" he howled terrified.
No. No. No no no no no. No!
That's not what they agreed on!
Dear God. He wasn't ready to get pregnant. No no no, absolutely not!

Omega looked horrified at Enderman, to whom the gravity of the situation seemed had finally reached. It was clear from the look on Ranboo face- he couldn't say it anything aloud. Protest was forbidden by law. The only role for omega in this world was to get pregnant and create a household. That's why Auctions existed. That was their legal obligation.

"Not for the first few months, but in time they will come," he said.

"I think that's where we can end it." Ranboo rose from his chair indicating the door with his hand. He kept the other clenched on his cane. He was shaking as if standing still made it cruelly difficult for him. "Thank you, doctor," he said.

"But..."

"Thank you."

Tubbo froze. Alpha's tone. Even betas had trouble disobeying, let alone omegas. Medic pressed his lips together in a disgruntled grimace, but obediently left the room, closing the door behind him.Ranboo waited a few seconds, then looked at the slowly calming husband.
That... That word stuck in his throat like a fishbone, scratching and choking him every time he tried to associate it with the petite being sitting on the bed.

"Show me your arm." He said quietly.

Tubbo wordlessly exposed the bandage on the scar from the takeover, but the hybrid only shook his head.
Not this one..
Ranboo gave him a clear, unspoken message. The boy very reluctantly showed the blood-soaked bandage he had hastily prepared that morning from some papercloth found in the bathroom. He scowled as Ranboo reached for the makeshift bandage. No matter how careful Enderman tried to be-the dried blood clung to his skin. Tubbo hissed in pain.

"Why did you leave the room?"
Ranboo didn't ask if he had broken the rules. He knew he had. So he must have known about the creature prowling the corridors at night.
But Alpha didn't shout. He didn't get angry.
On the other hand, he didn't seem too concerned that any of the household members could be torn apart if he just poked his nose out from under the covers. Was Tubbo really the only one who thought it was scary?

Omega quickly lowered his gaze, staring stubbornly at the hands entwined in his lap. He was shaking. The silence suggested that Enderman was waiting for an answer.
"I heard crying. I was sure it was Michael." Tubbo admitted honestly. "It won't happen again, I promise."

Ranboo only sighed, uncertainly weaving his claws into the omega's tangled curls. This... This was something he hadn't expected. He had sensed this problem would apear - sooner or later, omega would start breaking the rules. But... But he did it for Michael. Just because Tubbo had a sense that the child was in danger.
Tubbo knew that at that moment he must reek of fear and despair. He pressed his lips together, feeling himself getting sick.
He didn't want to be touched. Not with the hypocritical, feigned tenderness that Enderman emanated a mile away. He didn't know who he despised more at the moment - Ranboo, for trying, or himself, for letting him do it.
Alpha's words from the previous evening were still rattling around in his head - 'I can't give you my love.' So why all the nativity scene? No one but them was in the room. No one had to pretend anything.
Ranboo moved his fingers in a feeble attempt to reassure his spouse, but quickly relented when Tubbo moved back a bit.

"I know." Enderman finally replied when the silence between them became completely unbearable. "I..." He opened his mouth to say something, but apparently frowned, because he only grunted. Tubbo didn't bother ask. He sat motionless in place as Ranboo rose from the bed and moved toward the door. "In the cabinet above the kitchen sink, you'll find a first aid kit and plasters." He said stopping at the threshold. He tightened his fingers on the door handle, but hesitated to open it.Tubbo nodded, even though he was sure Enderman wasn't looking at him. Fear turned to uncertainty and disbelief. No punishment? No shouting? No consequence awaited him for breaking the rules? He defied Alpha's orders and Alpha decided to let him off the hook? It was incomprehensible.

"Och... One more thing, Omega." Tubbo raised his head immediately, looking toward the door. Ranboo managed to swing it open and make sure there was no one on the other side."You'll get your medicine. Just don't brag about it in front of Ponk... He's a good doctor, but..."

"... but he'll turn me in if necessary." He finished for him. Enderman nodded only slightly.
After that, Ranboo immediately left, leaving his spouse alone.

- * -

Tubbo quickly discovered that you can get used to anything.
Yield, adapt, survive was one of the mottos whispered to the terrified omegas, so... maybe it was some sort of genetic ability?
He had been married for... more than two weeks already, and day by day life was becoming simpler and more predictable. Each household member had his own little rituals and mannerisms, which Tubbo was slowly learning.

Following the rules also came with greater ease since, on the third day, he found on the table (next to the box with his blockers) a pack of earplugs and a note with the words "sleep soundly" calligraphed on it.
Tubbo was in charge of minor household chores. He usually helped with vacuuming, laundry or washing dishes. Ot nothing beyond his strength. He was not allowed to touch the pots - the kitchen was Niki's kingdom. All major faults and repairs were Jack's responsibility.

On days when Ranboo wasn't able to get out of bed (and there were many more days than Tubbo initially expected) he brought his husband meals and coffee, sorted out paperwork and answered incessant phone calls. One day Ranboo said with amusement that 'he had acquired the best secretary in the entire country and White House should be jealous'.
This was the first and only praise he heard from the Enderman's lips.

Tubbo's main occupation, however, was taking care of Michael.
From the moment the boy opened his eyes to the evening bath, reading bedtime stories and finally kissing his forehead before bedtime - Omega was there for him. Or at least he kept an eye on him. The child's life was arranged almost to the minute. Learning, playing, outings to the fresh air, leisure time, meals. Everything had its place in the schedule of the day.
Today they learned about sounds.

"What does the cow say?"
"Mooo."

"What does the pig say?"
"oink oink"

"What does the goat say?"
"Michael go brush your teeth, I won't say it twice."

"Okey Mister... You think you are such a smarty-pants, h,m?"

Michael was perfect child. Resolute, talkative, with a unique sense of humor. At times Tubbo caught himself thinking about what would have happened if the boy had been his biological child. Would he feel anything else besides attachment? Love?
They quickly dropped the subject of pets and turned to something much more interesting.
The sound of footsteps. Being an omega, Tubbo had learned to listen to his surroundings. Voices, door slams, even breaths - he knew them all in his home environment. But here everything was new, unfamiliar. Especially the steps. 

"Ms. Niki walks so very very very fast. And she has shoes on such a funny needle heel that make a tap-tap-tap-tap," Michael stated. "Dad used to get angry that Ms. Niki would make holes in the floor with them and it would be like cheese. Can you imagine that, Mr. Tubbo?" no matter how the omega tried, the boy would still call him per lord. A matter of being raised by an overbearing Alpha. "I could look through the hole in the room into the basement! But it's dark down there and you can't see anything. Besides, Hubert says there's nothing there."

"Really? And what do Hubert's steps sound like?" Tubbo had already decided some time earlier to succumb to the fantasy of the boy and his imaginary friends. Hubert, the Sad White Lady, the great Lord - the boy was creating beautiful scenarios and stories, and the omega didn't have the heart to ruin his fun. Someday he would grow out of it anyway. But... not yet.

"Hm... Yes... shzz shzz shz. Hubert walks very quietly. Like a ghost!"

"Good. And daddy? How does dad walk?"
"Dad walks with a cane, so he also does a tap tap tap. But he also wags his tail funny. So sometimes is shrrr shrr."

"He does that?"Tubbo furrowed his brow. He had never seen Ranboo wag his tail on the floor.

"We used to have a kitten and he used to wag his tail like that, too. Usually when he was really happy. And that kitten's name was Enderchest. He once went on a great adventure and disappeared. I was very sad, but then a postcard came from him! He wrote that he was with other cats and they traveled on big ships... And... And... That... He has a lot of friends and..." the boy fell silent for a moment.

Tubbo was already about to change the topic of conversation, but suddenly he heard footsteps.
These footsteps were different from the others he was used to. And they certainly belonged to two people. The first marched with a somewhat soldierly step wearing heavy boots with a hard sole. The second - moved more quietly, rather unevenly. It was as if she was limping.
Omega felt a painful pressure in his stomach. He knew who the other one was. The smallest details of this person had etched themselves into his memory years ago, becoming a regular part of night terrors. Tubbo didn't want to leave safety of Micheal's room. More importantly, he couldn't leave kid alone. Not when there was a man standing at the door....

"Father has arrived!" Michael jumped up immediately from the carpet where they were sitting. "Let's go Mr. Tubbo, we have to greet him!"

Wait, what?

Suddenly, footsteps stopped at their door. He heard a couple of stifled sentences, something that sounded like a short but rather sharp (judging by the tone of voice) discussion. Immediately the owner of the heavy boots went on, but before the omega had time to breathe a sigh of relief, the door opened with a loud thud.

- * -

To be fair, Tubbo almost fainted at sight of lanky guy in dark green winter coat.
On the threshold of the room stood a man who was an urban legend of some sort. No one knew if he certainly existed and if the fate that befell him was true. People whispered all sorts of stories, more or less true. 
However, all of them had three elements in common:

First - in the days of his youth, this man was the epitome of all omega ideals. Born into the family of a well-known politician - the boy became a symbol of the New Regime. Presented like a doll at all kinds of banquets. Beautiful, obedient and completely subservient to the system. Every Alpha fell in love with him - no matter if young or old. Everyone dreamed of claiming the boy whose charming, freckled face was peeking out from many propaganda posters. But he remained inaccessible, untouched, out of mortals' reach. Until his eighteenth birthday, when he took part in one of the first Auctions.

Secondly - his Auction completely changed the course of their small country's history. At that time, omegas still had their rights, and Auctions were a voluntary privilege undertaken out of sheer convenience. All proceeds and pledges landed in the hands of the omega, who would take it over as sort of a kind of dowry. Auctions involved risk - sometimes you could gain a fortune, sometimes be sold for a mere dime. And keeping money from all bidders just made sense.
In the case of this omega, diamonds, bars of netherite, blocks of emeralds, weapons of a value that even now Tubbo could not even imagine were at stake. The stock market had been raging since dawn, taking not only pledges but bets - L'manburg was a gambling town after all. 
Tubbo had heard stories of people taking out loans and mortgaging their homes just so their children would have at least a shadow of a chance of winning. Many of them went into terrible debt - no wonder, such an omega in the family was a ticket to the world of politics and the elite. A chance for a better tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the Auction was won by a young poet and musician who, although he came from a respected Minecraft family - seemed to have not a penny to his soul. Instead, he offered something unusual at the auction - the only Ender Eye in existence. A mythical object whose value trumped any bullion.
The stock market went crazy. Only one person bet that Wilbur Soot would win the race for the young boy's hand. It was said spitefully that the chance of this was like 1: 7.5 trillion. People lost their livelihoods by taking part in what turned out to be a big hoax and the biggest scam of the century. 
Who was the mysterious lucky person? 
None other than the same omega that was so fiercely fought over. One legal loophole made the young couple the richest people in the world, leading to a crisis that consumed the country for years to come, throwing much of the population into ruin. 

Third - The story didn't end there. Tubbo was in sixth grade when the "miracle omega" was shown on television being handcuffed and led directly to Pandora. The world held its breath as he was given the number 0001 and locked in an isolated cell. On that day, the Party completely changed its policy - with a single Decree, the Constitution was abolished, the omegas were stripped of all rights, their property was taken from them as well as they were completely subordinated to the Alphas.  With each order and prohibition read, the fate of almost half of the citizens was sealed. 
The state that was supposed to protect them became their oppressor. 
The ability to work was taken away from the majority, forced marriages and Auctions were introduced, higher education, the ability to join the state armed forces or participate in elections was banned. Life became hell.

All this because Dream Wastaken couldn't bear his miserable life and murdered his husband in cold blood, stabbing him thirty times in the back with a knife.

But at the time, Tubbo was too young to understand how serious the consequences of this one act of "rape on nature" would be. As teachers tried to calm his hysterical classmates horrified by images of the massacred body and footage from the trial, Tubbo just kept staring into his brother's empty green eyes. No fear, no emotions. He dissapeared from omega's life even earlier than father. So why, now that they were standing face to face with each other, Tubbo was shaking and his heart was palpitating filled with terror? Dream grinned like a shark that had managed to chase its prey into a corner. He spread his arms wide, allowing Tubbo to look at the numerous, extensive marks and scars from cuts, burns and badly fused bones. He looked nothing like the ideal omega he had been in his youth. Destroyed, emaciated and even more deranged - Dream seemed as if he had taken a trip to hell and back. Only hell fought to the last drop of blood to keep him there.

"Toby, my little lamb!" he called out joyfully. This was followed by a moment of laughter - the man laughed like a wheezing kettle. Tilting his head back, squinting his eyes, he looked just like their fucking father. The only thing missing were the horns, which had apparently been broken off in prison, smell of cheap whiskey and dirty suit. "Did you miss me?"