Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ranboo wouldn't say he's up to date with the politics of high school. He's the awkward kid in the back of the class with like 3 friends total in the school. He's 15 and struggling with puberty and insanely tall because mother nature doesn't like him.

He's got medical issues that make everyone sit far away from him and make a wide berth in the halls like they might catch his stuff. They won't but he's not brave enough to tell them that. Because he looks someone in the eyes briefly and stutters over his words.

He's the only kid in 300 that wears a paper mask, like he's caught the flu 24/7. He's the only kid in 300 that walks with a cane and gets to sit out of gym class. He's the only kid who wears sunglasses indoors and he has to do the awkward song and dance every new teacher of 'yes I have permission to wear these don't make me take them off'.

He's transferred three schools this year alone and this is his last shot before he has to get rehomed in the foster system. His foster parents are nice but they're tired and clearly didn't expect him to be this much work.

Not that he's trying to overload them.

He does his best to stay out of their way and does chores even when not asked to. They are very appreciative of the fact he does his own dishes and laundry and he'll do theirs for them too if they're late home.

They call him kind names like 'angel' and 'sweetheart' but he can see the bags under their eyes when he collapses in the middle of the kitchen because his leg gave out on him.

He always apologizes profusely and they smile (though strained) and tell him it's not his fault as they help him to the couch.

So Ranboo isn't winning prom king anytime soon, if this school even has a prom. He doesn't know because he's too shy and awkward to look at the sign ups on the corkboard by the entrance. He's not taking any electives because that might make him a target.

He just keeps his head down and never raises his hand and thankfully the teachers never call on him.

But even if he's socially absent he's not oblivious. And even if his memory problems mean he can't put a name to the face, he knows who the popular kids are. He knows where the popular kids sit at lunch and he knows when people are talking about them.

Their faces light up in excitement and jealously.

And there's a notable hole in the atmosphere of the lunchroom when they're not there one day. Two of the possibly ten kids out for some unknown reason. The tables buzz with confusion and excitement.

If it had just been one, no one would've noticed. But it was two and they were apparently brothers.

Then the next day, it's the same song and dance. They're still absent. The rumors fly, the voices get louder. Some people practically shout across the room asking where the hell they could be. The rest of the kids at the popular table are quiet and awkward.

A massive shift in tone and one of them stands and tells the people shouting to drop it or else. He's a football player and he's intimidating and Ranboo finds himself clenching his jaw to stop any words from coming out even if he was already quiet.

Day three and they're still gone and now his table has finally noticed. They're talking about it with gossip heavy in the air. His only friend he can sit with at lunch, Niki, leans in to her friends to say she shares music class with one of the missing kids.

She has his number, maybe she can ask and find out.

Day four and she tells everyone to drop it, give them space. If you hear any rumors don't pass them along.

Day five and the lunchroom is back to normal, save for a few glances at the table and the heavy atmosphere of the rest of the popular kids.

The next week it's just the same. Ranboo would've forgotten about it completely had the two-no, three, kids not been welcomed back on the Friday with cheers and loud hellos. Their faces wearing strained smiles the entire time.

Ranboo recognizes them now.

The taller one has brown curly fluffy hair that he honestly would love to just touch but he's not an animal. He always wears these really comfy sweaters that Ranboo was jealous of. And he's got a face that many people swoon over.

Ranboo was pretty damn sure the guy had like...talent show wins under his belt or something.

And the guy directly beside him is his brother? He thinks? With long pink hair that Ranboo was pretty sure is against the dress code. It's usually done up in pretty braids and stuff but today it's disheveled and barely brushed. He's always got dress shirts on and glasses on his nose.

They have the same face shape if Ranboo squints. They might be twins. They look about the same age even if they have obvious differences.
There's a word for that but he'd never remember it.

And finally the third guy trails behind them, looking bored and far younger. Ranboo doesn't remember seeing him before. Ever. He's got the same hair type as the taller guy, though it's blond as can be and bright blue eyes that he can tell the color of from here.

His clothes are dirty and look like he just came in from playing in the mud. Posture nervous and he constantly shifts from foot to foot.

There's something else off about him but he can't really pinpoint it if he's honest. And it's stupid to stare at people. He has a bad habit of people watching and it's gotten him beat up a few times by guys who aren't intimidated by his height.

He tries to look away before he gets caught but then blond guy's eyes drift around the room and land on him. Do a double-take and then he waves at Ranboo.

Ranboo, unsure of what else to do, waves back.

The guy's face morphs into something he can only describe as horrified surprise. Pointing at himself as if to make sure Ranboo is waving at him. Ah, he knows this feeling. Trying to make sure you're not waving to someone waving at someone else.

He nods, reassuringly.

He does not expect the kid to bolt towards him with the speed of Sonic the hedgehog. Dodging and weaving through people that don't seem to notice his hurry towards Ranboo. Ranboo tenses, gripping his cheap sandwich a bit too roughly and some of the contents spill out onto his tray.

Oh god, did he anger the guy that badly?!

The blond isn't out of breath when he reaches the edge of the table where Ranboo sits. He must be in sports or something.

And now that he's close up Ranboo avert his eyes obediently and hunches in on his shoulders to make himself smaller.

He gets a good look at the kid before all of this and now he can see a white streak in his hair and his dirty hands and face. The white and red shirt he was wearing had seen far better days and oh god he's not even wearing any shoes.

"Oi!" He says and his accent is un-mistakingly some form of British. As is a lot of kids in this school. It was a mixed bag of foreign here because the school was close to a cheap town perfect for immigrants.

Perfect for foster kids like him.

Niki herself was German and her father moved here with her after her mother divorced him or something.

"Can you seriously fucking see me?!" The blond demands and Ranboo was not expecting that question. Looking back up at the teenager who stares at him, wide eyed with disbelief.

"...y-yes?" Ranboo answered meekly and Niki looks up from talking with someone named...Jack? Tilting her head slightly.

"Yes what Ranboo?"

He looks back at her confused. This kid was loud, how did she not know that he was answering his question.

"Oh I was talking to-"

"Shut up, idiot!" The guy interrupts him. "Are you trying to get yourself sent to the loony bin?!" His hands twiched on the table like he wanted to grab Ranboo. He's seen that before. Most people don't resist the urge. "Leave the table, come on, follow me!"

"Uh...may I be excused?" Ranboo asks and everyone at the table looks at him like he's crazy and the teen pauses mid-run towards the exit like he can't believe what he just heard.

Niki laughs at least, smiling with that comforting look on her features. "Ranboo you don't need to ask to leave the table. Go ahead! We'll be here when you get back."

"Unless you need to take a shit in which case good luck my friend." Jack? laughed beside her and she gently nudged him.

He bowed his head slightly, moving to stand and picking up his tray. Unfolding his cane where it rested on the table beside him and awkwardly stumbling over to the trashcan as the nerves in the good parts of his legs realize they're moving.

The blond is nowhere to be seen until he exits the lunchroom finally. Leaning against the doorway like something people do in movies. He opens his mouth when Ranboo steps through and then pauses and looks him up and down.

Oh here it comes.

The million questions about his disability and his height.

How's the weather up there and why can't you walk right?

Why don't you just use a wheelchair or something?

Isn't there a special school for people like you?

Do you scrap your head on the ceiling?

Do you play basketball?

Admittedly he didn't get the latter very often because the whole cane thing.

The teen stares at him for a moment and then scoffs. "What the hell, you still using a boring black cane? At least put some stickers on it or something."

He doesn't know how to respond to that so he doesn't. Finally stumped by something someone asked him. The teen beckons him forward, no longer rushing and they make their way towards the Gym. Which is actually unoccupied during this period.

He can't remember the last time he saw the Gymnasium.

Not that it's hard to forget or anything.

The blond stops ahead of him, in the center of the Gym and stretches his arms out. "Alright cool no one will hear you here. I used to come in and scream profanities after the teachers gave me detention."

...well alright then. He moves to awkwardly stand in front of the guy. Putting both hands on his cane and shifting his weight. The guy stares for a moment, sighs and then takes a seat. "Sit down before you hurt yourself, dummy."

It's a welcome invitation, honestly and he's glad the guy is aggressively nice.

It'll make up for it later when he probably tries to shove Ranboo in a supply closet.

"Alright big man, what's your name?"

"R-Ranboo."

"...Ranboo?"

And now questions about his weird name, he's sure. Look he picked it out for himself when he was a kid. He wanted to call himself rainbow but he was still struggling to pronounce things and he ended up liking the spelling either way.

Still, it was awkward to be called that in mixed company. "Er...if you want you can call me Mar-"

"Fuck that, is that your name?"

"No?"

"Then I'm calling you Ranboo." The guy leaned on his hand, huffing. Looking almost annoyed at Ranboo for going to suggest another name. "Big guy, listen, my brother's name is Technoblade. You cannot get any weirder than that."

Ah cool. Technoblade. Right. He knew the guy's brothers name before his.

"And...uh...you are?" He prompts.

"...me? Oh right, you don't know me. Uh, I'm Tommy. Tommy Minecraft. Best one of the Minecraft siblings. We had different lunch periods I think."

Minecraft?

Wasn't that a video game?

Wait, if they had different lunch periods why was Tommy there today?

Now he was the one with a million awkward questions but he just nodded along like he understood. "And for some fucking reason, you can see me."

"...y-yeah?" Why wouldn't he be able to?

Tommy squinted at him, tilting his head slightly. "You don't think that's weird or anything?"

"...no? I see...everyone?"

"Is it the sunglasses? Are they like special sunglasses or something?"

"No, they're just normal sunglasses." Well okay not entirely. He did paint the temples of the glasses red and green to match his eyes. Not that anyone would notice. Tommy looked skeptical but he wasn't about to take them off here.

He was playing a dangerous game of how much could this guy tolerate before he snapped at how gross and scary Ranboo was.

His eyes would probably send him over the edge.

"So have you always been able to see stuff?"

"...yes??" What kind of question was that?! Did he think Ranboo was blind because of the sunglasses? He should probably clarify that. "I'm not uh...I'm not blind."

"Course you ain't, you see other shit just fine. I'm talking about me, nimrod."

"Why wouldn't I be able to see you?!"

Tommy looked dumbfounded then. Eyes widening in surprise as he sits up, straightening his back and it doesn't pop like Ranboo's tended to do. His mouth pops open and he seems to realize something.

"O-oh...you don't know."

Don't know what?

Ranboo didn't know a lot of things, he'd have to narrow it down.

"Ranboo, buddy, big man, tall fucker extraordinaire-"

"Please stop."

"I'm fucking dead."

...what.

Chapter Text

Obviously Ranboo didn't believe him.

Sure, it made some logical sense but he's used to being pranked at this point. It wasn't unbelievable to imagine a whole bunch of kids were going to play a twisted weird prank on him about a kid who is dead.

He's ignoring the fact Niki would NEVER do that to him.

And she clearly didn't see Tommy.

Tommy, who is apparently dead except that's not possible.

Tommy, who was giving him a lot of time to process this-wow how nice of him. The totally not a ghost teen sitting across from him and waiting. Hands folded in front of him like some guidance counselor trying to reason with his stupidity.

Was this why Tommy looked so...dirty?

Actually now that he stared at him more, he could...he could almost see through Tommy couldn't he? It wasn't easy but if he squinted he could make out the folded up bleachers against the wall behind him.

Or was that a trick of his mind?

"You don't believe me do you?"

"Uh, no."

"Figures."

Tommy rolled his eyes and sighed. Acting like this was the 500th time he had to prove he was dead even though apparently Ranboo was the only one to see him. He stood up, made his way over and when Ranboo moved to stand he stopped him with a loud command of 'stay!' like he was a dog.

Then once he was stood next to Ranboo, he told him to hold still and not to scream too loudly.

Oh that was reassuring.

Really reassuring.

Tommy stuck his hand through Ranboo's head.

Oh.

Yep, definitely dead.

Definitely a ghost.

Wow ghosts are cold and they make your spine shiver and oh god is Ranboo screaming? He thinks he's screaming. Yep, he's screaming.

His scream eventually died down into just a vague distressed wheezing sound. Staring at Tommy who drew his hand OUT OF HIS HEAD and gave him a look like 'I told you so'.

Look, this was very hard to process okay?

"Nice scream."

Both ghost and not ghost jumped out of their skin at the sudden voice. Ranboo whipping his head around to stare at the person who called out. Another teenager looking about his age and maybe half his height, rested on the top of the bleachers.

Had he climbed up there?

How long had he been there?

Did he see Ranboo talking to the FRIGGIN GHOST-or rather himself?

"Tubbo!" Tommy practically cheered, a bright smile on his face as the teen jumped down from the way too high perch.

Fluffy brown hair with blond streaks, an opened button up green shirt with a pale blue shirt underneath. Well worn faded blue jeans that had a cut up one side that was buttoned together. Making room for a-

Oh.

Tubbo? grabbed a cane that was sitting on the floor nearby. Twirling it in his hand as if he was on the cheer squad or something. Making his way over with a slight limp but it didn't seem to bother him at all.

As he got closer, Ranboo could make out scars along his right side. On his face, mostly hidden by hair, and his hand and neck and oh-

Oh.

Ranboo was not the only disabled kid in this school.

Heh, fancy that.

How long has...Tubbo? been here?

"Tubbo?" He found himself questioning Tommy before he realized his mistake and Tommy threw his hands up with a cuss.

"Why would you know his name, genius?! Don't just blurt stuff out like that! And stop looking at me so much in front of other people! You're going to get bullied so much!"

Ha, he already was.

"You're so lucky Tubbo is cool about this stuff."

"You know me?" Tubbo asked, tilting his head. Resting in front of Ranboo who slowly stood up. The smaller teen craning his neck to look at him so he took a few steps back. "Jeez you're tall. Now I know where all of my height went."

Tommy wheezed a sharp laugh, sounding like he was dying-wait was that offensive to ghosts?

Ranboo didn't know how to respond to that. So he just nodded awkwardly. Focusing anywhere but Tubbo's scars because he knows what it's like to be stared at even if his eyes were hidden behind sunglasses. He looked at the cane instead.

It was covered in weird duck stickers.

Neat.

"I uh-...I've heard about you." Ranboo lied and Tubbo sighed heavily.

He could imagine his eyes were rolling behind that hair.

"Of course you have. Let me guess, someone wants to set us up on a date?" He asked, leaning forward on his cane. Looking awkward in the position but unashamed of how he moved his body. Bold.

Ranboo wishes he was bold.

Wait, date?

"Wha-"

"Y'know the whole, hey you're disabled, he's disabled, clearly you two have a lot to talk about!" Tommy rolled his eyes as well at that. Scoffing.

"People tried that at our last school." He explained to Ranboo, hands finding his dirty pants pockets. "That's why he switched to this school! He got expelled for breaking some fucker's arm." He grinned, all feral and delighted over his friend's destruction.

"And of course I begged dad to let me switch schools with him."

Ranboo listened awkwardly, pausing the conversation with Tubbo so he could hear Tommy out and realizing way too late that uh-yeah he's just standing there quietly as Tommy rambles.

Oops.

"Uh...no, um...I know you from....Tommy?" Oh that was a terrible lie. An awful lie. Maybe don't bring up the guy's dead friend? Yeah he was definitely getting his arm broken.

Tubbo's smile fell from his face instantly and Ranboo felt awful. There was a moment of tense awkward silence and he opened his mouth to apologize.

Tommy shushed him however so he closed his mouth again.

"You look like you're going to piss yourself, Ranboo. Calm down, Tubbo isn't like that. Give him a minute."

Sure enough, a minute later and Tubbo brightens again. Laughing like Ranboo didn't just bring up the dead. "Sounds about right, big man. Tommy loved to fucking brag about me like I was some hero or something."

Tommy smiled to himself, puffing out his chest like he was proud.

A pause and Tubbo looked conflicted. "Sorry to say I hadn't heard about you. Uh...what's your name?"

"Ranboo." He offered his hand out because that was the polite thing to do. Realizing a bit too late that he offered out the one adjacent to Tubbo's own scarred hand. Worried for a moment they might have to awkwardly switch.

Tubbo took his hand, gave it a vigorous shake like a southern preacher on a mission, and grinned. "Yeah haven't heard shit about you. Where'd you meet Tommy?"

"...he just kind of...approached me at lunch?"

"Sounds like him." Tubbo snorted. "That's how he found me, honestly. Though it was the playground in third grade and he fell on me instead of approaching me." He laughed, cackled really. "He was trying to fly or some shit! Said his dad could fly or something and so he wanted to too!"

"Hey! I was 8! Get over it!!"

"He never apologized for it either!" Tubbo went on, "Kept saying 'I was 8 Tubbo! Get over it!'"

Oh, neat. Ghost echo. He found himself smiling behind his mask, thankful it was on so no one saw how silly that looked.

Tommy was smiling just as giddily at least. Looking like he was on cloud nine just listening to Tubbo ranting about himself.

Then Tubbo's laughter died down into a sigh, looking exhausted where he stood and oh Ranboo felt that in his soul honestly.

Should he offer to sit back down?

"...I'm not good at uh...comforting." Tubbo muttered, "But uh...sorry for your loss too."

Oh.

Oh.

Right uh...

Tommy is dead.

Right, he should...really write that down somewhere or something.

Just so he won't have to be reminded by the ghost sticking his hand in his head again. He shuddered at the thought.

Tommy grunted and he glanced over at the ghost.

"Dude say something."

Oh right. He's just...awkwardly standing there as Tubbo tries to comfort him for a guy he doesn't know.

"S-sorry for your loss too..." He tries and Tommy rolls his eyes and scoffs like that was the absolute worst thing to say in the moment. He backtracks, immediately, sputtering and stuttering. "N-not that I'm t-trying to copy you!"

What to say?! What to do?!

"It's just hard to-hard to find the words!" He blurts out and Tubbo grimaces but nods.

"...yeah I know what you mean." He straightened up, gesturing out around the Gym. "S'why I'm here!" He says loudly and his voice echoes off the walls. "It's so hard to look at his brothers right now. Rather just...hide in here like we used to and just pretend everything will go back to normal in a week y'know?! Tommy's just out sick! That's all."

He gave an awkward, almost hysterical laugh. His hand reaching up to his hair and pushing it back. Revealing the mess of scars and the blind eye and oh-

"Don't stare." Tommy reminds him and he quickly looks away. "He hates it when people stare at him."

"Sorry, sorry," Tubbo mutters, running his hand through his hair in a comforting motion. Grounding himself back in reality as Ranboo tends to do as well. "Don't mean to trauma dump on you or anything big man."

"It's...uh...it's fine..."

"I'm just...I'm alone now, aren't I?" Despite his apology seconds before Tubbo keeps going and Ranboo can't bring himself to interrupt. Maybe he's not meant to even hear that with how the teen mutters it but Tubbo stares at the floor sadly. A single tear rolling down his unmarred side of his face.

"Fucking do something, Ranboo! Don't let him cry!"

"...do you want to sit with me at lunch?"

Why did he say that?!

No one wants to sit with him at lunch! Niki even had her friends with her most of the time.

Tubbo looks up at him, expression lost entirely behind his hair but Ranboo can see by his posture that he's confused. "...lunch is almost over?" He questioned and Ranboo nodded even if that was a rhetorical question.

"...I mean uh...from now on? If you want? Like...Monday...and Tuesday and-...well you get the point."

Tubbo snorted, barking out a shaky laugh. "Y-yeah sure. Tommy always did tell me I needed more friends."

"F-friends?" Ranboo repeated, confused.

"Yeah? We're friends now, big man. Trauma bonding and all that!" A pause and Tubbo made a face. "Plus Tommy would kill me if I didn't get you some stickers or something for your cane, dude. He harassed the shit out of me until I let him cover mine."

The bell rang and Tubbo awkwardly waved as he started to move past him. "So uh, see you Monday? Wait, where's your table at?"

"Oh um...by the door on the right side. Near the chocolate milk vending machine."

"Got it!" And like that, Tubbo left. And Ranboo had barely any time to process that he just made a friend...a new friend...through the trauma of a dead person...who was standing beside him.

Right, he can see dead people apparently.

Tommy however, was smiling. Bright like he wasn't dead. Like he had just witnessed some miracle and was practically bouncing up and down where he stood.

"That was bloody brilliant!" He said, hands curled into fists as he jumped in front of Ranboo. "Ranboob, you did it!"

"Please don't call me that-wait, did what?"

"You made Tubbo smile! Like a genuine smile! I haven't seen him do that since-" Tommy cut himself off, shaking his head. Then grinned, "Listen, listen you're the only one who can see me so you owe me!"

What kind of logic was that?

If anything, Tommy owed him for sticking his hand through his head!!

Ranboo really hoped he forgot about that later.

Really.

He didn't want nightmares about it.

Still, he probably shouldn't argue with a ghost. He's seen youtube videos about ghosts and stuff. They don't usually end well. And he finds it hard to sleep after he watches a few.

"Sure?"

"Great! I need you to fix my family."

...what? What does that-

Tommy scowled, waving his hands. "Listen to me! My family is going to move!" He gestured out in presumably the direction of where he used to live. "All of them, as soon as my brothers graduate! They're just going to pack up and leave! Move probably back to England or something!"

He tilted his head and Tommy whined. "That's bad, Ranboo!"

"W-why...?"

"Why?! WHY?!" Tommy nearly screeched the words and he flung his hands up. "Because this is our home! Our home! We weren't always here but I grew up here! There's so many memories here! This is where my dad invented his game and where Techno learned to drive and where Wilbur sold his first song!"

He dropped his arms at his sides, his hands curling into fists. "They're so focused on what happened to me they're forgetting everything we put into the house! They're forgetting all the good times and shit! They're all like 'ooooo it hurts to look at this now because Tommy used to use it!' Like they never used it either!"

He scowled, "It's fucking tiring, Ranboo! To watch my dad burst into tears over laundry! Fucking laundry! Because it smells like me! Or watch Techno stumble in practice because he can't hear me cheering on the sidelines! Wilbur hasn't even written a single emo song about me!"

"He writes emo songs about stubbing his toe but his baby brother dies and suddenly he can't even pick up a pencil, it's so stupid!"

Well no, to Ranboo that all sounds...pretty normal. A normal part of grieving and such. Maybe it was different to a ghost, to the guy who died, but he was pretty sure most people went through this when a loved one died.

Tommy stared down at the floor, no, glared at it and heaved a heavy sigh. "...I don't want them to lose everything just because they lost me."

Okay, he gets that.

He really does.

He's been in those shoes before, not because of his death but because of well...himself. He can't fix his body but he can be the least amount of a burden as possible when it comes to his foster parents right? They deal with so much and it's just because he can't walk right or-

Tommy looks up at him, pleading puppy dog eyes and Ranboo's heart melts.

"Please Ranboo, you gotta help me. I got no one else."

"...what can I even do?" He asked and Tommy scrunched up his face, clearly having not thought that far.

"...I don't know maybe uh...maybe you can pass along some messages or something?"

"Tommy, I think if I went to your family claiming I could see your ghost they'd call the cops."

"Then...I don't know! Fake it! Say you found the messages somewhere or something!"

"That'll be even more suspicious!"

He sighed watching the ghost whine and curse, flail about like he was going to start throwing things if he didn't figure this out soon. Grumbling things about how this would be a lot easier if everyone could see ghosts or if he could just write the messages down or something and stuff it in their mailbox.

An idea hit him then.

"...wait, what if..." He began and Tommy looked up at him, hopeful. "What if, you write letters to me?"

"...uh, big man, no offense but the messages are for my family not you."

"No I mean-! Look, you don't strike me as the sentimental type."

Tommy burst into a laugh, practically cackling and Ranboo found himself smiling behind his mask. "So...what if uh...what if we pretend that you wrote me letters or something as part of a school project...put stuff in there you want to say to them but basically tell me to keep my mouth shut about it-"

"I fucking would."

"-and I bring it to them now because I thought they should have them now that you're gone?"

Tommy grows quiet after his suggestion, thinking on it. His hand to his chin. There's the sound of kids starting to run through the halls. The gym will probably be full soon.

"Y'know Ranboob, you might be onto something here."

Chapter Text

"Damn bitch, you live like this?"

Ranboo made a face at Tommy's commentary. The ghost having followed him home after school. It had been an awkwardly long day with the blond occasionally showing up in the middle of his classes.

Talking to Ranboo like he could so easily respond or something. So many of his notes for class had scribbled messages in the margins to answer questions he couldn't out loud.

They had worked out a bit of a system in English class at least. Inbetween Tommy's dramatic monologue about how this wasn't a proper 'English' and that Americans were terrible at it.

Tap once for yes, two for no.

Shrug if you had a question about something Tommy had said.

It wasn't perfect but it got them through the day and no one paid the randomly shrugging and tapping Ranboo any mind. He was the weird kid who did weird things, that was normal.

He walked home, the ghost running around him like an overenergetic toddler. Talking about all sorts of things and only briefly making a comment about why Ranboo didn't take the bus. How it can't be good for his legs.

It wasn't but Ranboo wasn't about to sit on a busy crowded bus with a bunch of kids with nothing to focus on but the weird kid.

Tommy let it drop when Ranboo didn't elaborate.

But when they got to his house and Tommy followed him inside, he made that comment.

The house wasn't ugly or bad or anything. It was well put together for what his foster parents could manage. Clean as can be because none of them were the messy type and Ranboo liked to clean whenever he could to 'pay them back'.

Food was stocked and there was no excess noise, no extra kids running around. They had wanted a second foster kid after getting Ranboo but he quickly proved to need more time and effort than they expected.

The only thing he could imagine was off about it was the fact that Tommy clearly didn't like the decorations. Which yeah, there was a few too many cat knickknacks for his taste as well but his foster mother really loved cats despite being allergic to them.

"Ranboo is that you?" She called from the kitchen and he greeted her back, setting his backpack down on the one hallway table to retrieve later. He entered, intent on helping her with dinner but she smiled at him warmly.

"Pizza night."

Oh that was a relief. He could relax and do his homework then.

"The usual?"

"Yes please."

"Got it." She laughed and wrote it down on a little sticky note. No doubt for his foster father to read off later when he placed the order. "How was school?"

"Oh uh...I-" Ranboo wasn't sure how to answer that.

I see ghosts.

No that was too strong, hold back.

"I made friends." He offered instead and she perked up, surprised and not disappointed.

"Friends? As in plural? That's fantastic! Tell me about them?"

"Uh well, their names are Tommy and Tubbo." Tommy smirked beside him, leaning on the table and thankfully not getting anything dirty. "Tommy's a bit...loud." The smirk died away quickly. "And he practically demanded to be my friend-"

"Hey!"

"And Tubbo is cool um...he's...I'm not sure yet. We met through Tommy."

She smiled at him, nodding along. Soaking in every word like he wasn't the most boring story teller on the planet. "That's wonderful! If you want to invite them over someday, you can! I'd love to meet them."

Haha.

Surprise.

One is already over and making himself at home.

"Thank you." He tells her and he means it because his foster family before them certainly never let him have friends over. "Um...I'm going to go do my homework now."

"What?! You're doing homework right when you get home?!"

He ignores the outburst that drowns out whatever his foster mother says and makes his way to the living room to sit. Grabbing his backpack along the way and sighing with the sheer relief sitting down gives him.

Tommy doesn't say a word about it and sits next to him.

"Alright bitch, what's the homework for today?" Like he actually intended on helping Ranboo with it or something.

He doesn't need help honestly. He did most of it during study hall when Tommy was off following his brothers around apparently. So really there's only a few math pamphlets to finish before he's free for the weekend.

He completes those with Tommy whining the entire time about how stupid and complicated math is.

Then he heads up to his room and the ghost follows him, staring at photos on the walls of different foster kids with his foster parents. Humming in appreciation at one in particular that they're all wearing silly costumes in.

He enters his room and Tommy whistles softly.

"Wow this explains the cane."

Yeah okay, look, he never expects to be with one family for long so he didn't invest in decorations. His room was still the bare bones of what it was when he first got here a year and a half ago.

But it's nice regardless. A bed, a desk, a place to sit in front of the window. An old radio that's seen better days but can play CDs and a bookshelf halfway filled so far. He has a laptop but it's a hunk of junk that can barely run wordpad half the time.

His foster father promised the Christmas he received it that they would replace it one day but money hasn't exactly been nice enough to warrant the insane purchase. Plus, he liked it. Even if it barely functioned.

He could still watch Youtube sometimes and email his teachers and caseworker.

Tommy sat on his bed and Ranboo almost protested it.

"Relax, I can't get it dirty." For emphasis he rolled about on it. None of the sheets being displaced by the movement. It looked a bit silly. "All this lovely dirt is mine and I won't share!"

Ranboo closed the door and sank onto his bed. A familiar place where he spends a lot of his days. It was just easier to lay in bed than sit up most of the time. He could get the perfect angle for his legs where they won't fall asleep and yet won't strain.

Tommy moves a little to let him and belatedly he realizes his left his laptop across the room.

So no working on the letters right now, unless he wanted to do some rough drafts on notebook paper first.

Oh right, he's home, he can take off the-

Oh right, he's not alone.

He glances at the ghost who is sitting cross legged on the edge of his bed. Slightly rocking himself as he looks around. As though he hasn't seen all of Ranboo's room but the taller teen knows that anxiety of not wanting to speak up and rush someone when you're excited to do something.

He grabs his notebook nearby and pulls the pen out of the spiral. Opening it to an empty page and clicks it open.

"So, what is it you want to say?"

Tommy perks up immediately. A golden retriever puppy who heard the word 'treat'. Just to scowl as he looks at Ranboo's face.

"What the shit, big guy. Aren't you at home? Take that shit off."

"Uh..."

"What? Is it because I'm here? I don't give a shit what you look like. Be comfortable in your own fucking home."

What Tommy is saying makes a lot of sense but he still hesitates. Still trembles as he slowly reaches up to touch his sunglasses first. Well, if he takes this off, it will be the real test.

Maybe Tommy will run off?

And if he does...well things will just go back to how they were before. No big deal. He was used to being alone. Tubbo will leave too once he realizes Ranboo barely knew Tommy.

He takes a deep breath and pulls them off with his eyes squeezed tight. Slowly opening them to reveal just how messed up they are.

Tommy stares for a moment and then politely looks away, down at his notebook. "Alright hurry up with the mask and then we can get to writing."

...wait what?

...that was it? No questions? Nothing?

Tommy waited and waited as Ranboo processed this and sighed loudly. "Ranboob it's not that big of a deal! You saw Tubbo, you think I haven't seen this shit before? So what? Your one eye is red and bloody? Big deal, big guy. I'm not going to scream or something. It's not like you're a monster."

"S-sorry...I'm just..not used to people uh...taking it well."

"Figured by the sunglasses and mask." Tommy snorted, waving his hand. "Well I'm not regular people am I?"

He nodded and sighed, folding up his glasses and setting them aside. Going for the mask next. Tommy didn't even look this time. Which he was kind of grateful for and once they were both on his bedside table he picked up the pen again.

Still, his mind was plagued with a million questions and he's just expecting at any moment Tommy won't be able to take it.

"...you're uh...not going to ask?" He finally mutters.

"Nope, none of my business innit?"

"...y-yeah. Thanks..."

"Don't fucking thank me for being a decent human being, Ranboo. You deserve to be treated like everyone else." A pause. "Sides, you haven't asked shit about what happened to me."

True.

Uh...he was curious but y'know.

Kind of rude.

"...none of my business innit?"

"Atta boy, Ranboo!"

They shared smiles, laughter.

Tommy moves on like they didn't just agree not to talk about each other's uh...problems. Pointing at the notebook and demanding Ranboo take notes so he does. The ghost rambling on and on seemingly about whatever came to mind.

It winds up three pages back to back long by the time his foster mother calls up for dinner and Tommy seems to realize how long he's taken.

"Shit, I'm going to go head back home! I try and sit with them when they eat dinner. Makes the empty chair feel less empty y'know?" He doesn't know but he nods and Tommy waves as he darts out of the house. Phasing through walls and stuff like it's no big deal.

Ranboo gets up, cracks his back unwillingly and his neck does that crinkly thing he can't describe. He makes his way to his door to head downstairs but is surprised to find his foster father on the other side, holding a pizza box and paper plates.

A nervous smile on his features.

"Hey kiddo," He greets like Ranboo is 5 years old. That tone of voice that's full of trying too hard. "I figured you were tired so uh...I brought you the food instead. You can eat in your room, buddy."

Oh, were his foster parents going to have a private discussion downstairs? Sure, he could stay up here. He smiled and thanked the man and took the box and plates to sit at his desk.

He couldn't hear shouting downstairs, so it must be a good talk.

He booted up his laptop, grabbed a slice of pizza to start eating and opened the notebook back to the first page. "Alright, let's do this."

Tommy was the worst alarm clock in the history of alarm clocks. Ranboo did like to sleep in on the weekends y'know.

He felt selfish over it but his foster parents hadn't complained yet so he did. He'd sleep in at least until 11am.

So when Tommy woke him up bright and early at 8, he was internally screaming but now wide awake and couldn't do much about it. He got out of bed, made his way to the bathroom, and had to remind the ghost not to follow him in.

Took a shower and greeted his foster father who looked a bit confused to see him up.

"You feeling okay, Ranboo?"

"Yes sir." He told the man and earned an amused snort back.

"If you're sure."

He made it back to his bedroom, changed and fresh. More awake than he had been previously but still tired and found Tommy at his computer. Which he had forgotten to shut down last night.

Oh that must've used up a lot of power. Yikes. His foster parents were gonna be mad about that.

But Tommy was smiling brightly, reading over what he could on the wordpad document that hadn't failed him yet. Seemingly unable to scroll through it.

"This is awesome!" He told Ranboo, jumping up to his feet and gesturing with both hands to the screen. "How did you capture my personality?! You literally started it off with Dear Ranboob, you suck! I would so say that!"

He cackled, joyously.

"Is your talent creative writing?!"

Ranboo felt his face flushing. Preening a little under the praise. "Uh...no...I don't have any talents." He admitted shyly and Tommy scoffed and rolled his eyes. "I just pay attention to people the best I can I guess? You called me Ranboob a lot while you were rambling and you really liked to tell me when people were suckish. Even your brothers."

He walked forward, scrolling down so Tommy could read the rest of the first letter. The teen leaning in to do just that. Arms folded on the back of his computer chair. He wondered how that worked.

Why didn't Tommy just slip through?

Tommy's grin never faltered as he read the rest. "Yeah, yeah! This is great! Perfect! They're going to definitely think this is from me-wait, wait, can you put a message at the end?"

"Oh? Yeah sure."

"Great, it's just a thing I do is all. Just put 'P.S Crabs are stupid motherfuckers'. Right there." he pointed at the end of the letter. Ranboo did just that and Tommy nodded proudly. "This'll fix everything! You're a genius!"

Well Ranboo didn't share his enthusiasm or his positive outlook but he did give Tommy a thumbs up. The ghost's smile growing impossibly wide.

"So are you giving them it today?"

"T-today? I guess, I don't have any pla-"

"Ranboo!" Ranboo jumped, as did Tommy. Both of them looking to the door as his foster father knocked. He quickly moved to open it and the man smiled up at him. "Hey buddy!"

Tommy gagged at his tone of voice.

Ranboo was well practiced in hiding his grimace.

"Since you're up, would you like to come with me to the mall today?" His foster father made awkward hands motions. Like he was playfully punching Ranboo in the stomach. "You and me, some quality bonding! I got to pick something super duper important up!"

"What the fuck is he doing...?"

Ranboo shrugged, both an answer to Tommy and the man. "Uh sure, I can go...let me get my stuff."

"Alright champ! Meet you downstairs!"

And he closed the door behind the man, waiting until those footsteps were distant to talk to Tommy again. Tommy who stared at him with a snicker barely contained.

"What the fuck-" The blond laughed. "What the fuck was that?! Your dad is so awkward! Haha! It's like he doesn't know how to talk to you!"

"Oh uh-he's not...he's not my dad."

The ghost tilted his head in confusion as Ranboo grabbed his wallet and med ID bracelet. Sunglasses and mask being pulled on as well. He opted out of a jacket even if it was a bit chilly. He sometimes started to sweat all gross like even in the coldest of temps.

"Ooooooh shit, are you one of them foster kids?" Ranboo nodded and Tommy nodded back. "Makes a lot of sense now. Alright. So is this your first family or...?"

"My fourth." Ranboo tried to show he was smiling behind the mask. Most people when he told them it was his 4th family they got all sad and depressed. He wanted to keep Tommy's energy up.

"Oh sweet, good luck man! They seem pretty nice. Maybe this is the one y'know?"

The one...what?

He didn't elaborate and Ranboo didn't ask.

The ghost just made those same hand motions that his foster father had with him. "Good luck on your bonding, sport! I'll leave you be so you can have a super duper time!"

"Please stop." Tommy did but laughed all the way out of the room and then some.

Off to do whatever a ghost did inbetween hauntings.

Was Ranboo haunted?

He felt haunted.

Bonding time with his foster father wasn't so bad at least. The man was cheerful even as they packed up Ranboo's wheelchair in the back of the car. Cheerful as he let Ranboo pick the music they listened to in the car.

Cheerful even as the car stalled at a red light and took a few tries to get started again.

Ranboo couldn't imagine what the man needed at the mall but he couldn't lie and say this was the worst experience of his life.

"Need some help there?" The man asked as Ranboo sank into his wheelchair and pushed himself away from the car.

"Ah, no thank you sir."

"No need to call me sir on a bonding trip, kiddo! We're bonding!"

"O-oh, okay!"

The car door closed behind them and they walked into the mall. Almost immediately the man pointed out a pretzel stand that smelled heavenly. Buying Ranboo and him one as well as a giant tea for them to share together.

They sat at a bench and people watched while they ate. His foster father was pretty observant, pointing out little things Ranboo wouldn't notice.

Like how a little girl was humming the tune to Paw Patrol's theme or an old man had a heavy metal band t-shirt on.

"So what are we here for, if you don't mind me asking?" Ranboo had asked once they threw their trash away and the man grinned at him like it was some sort of evil mastermind plan.

It was a cellphone of all things.

For Ranboo.

Apparently his foster parents had gotten a deal on a new one for the third part of their family plan and they were actually going to put him on it.

"You're turning 16," The man had said. "You're going to be going out with friends and to parties and all sorts of things!"

He most definitely wasn't.

"So we got to keep in touch for when you need rides and stuff!"

He most certainly would never burden his foster parents with that. Ever.

Still, they managed to find a cheap smartphone (he had insisted he didn't need anything fancy but really that was all the kiosk sold) and on the drive home he was doing his best to set it up.

His foster father laughing at his excitement in a good natured way. Telling him old stories about his first phone and stuff like that.

When they got home and his foster mother saw what he was holding (she smiled so brightly he was so confused) he thanked them both profusely for the gift. They had laughed it off like it was no big deal.

Like this wasn't a really expensive really cool thing for him of all people to own.

Wow.

He had a phone! A smartphone!

"Oh, Ranboo honey before you go upstairs!" He paused at the base of it for his foster mother to catch up to him. Handing him a thin stapled together stack of papers. "I'm sorry but I went to see if your room needed clean up from the pizza and I saw this on your computer...it looked finished and I thought it might be for school? So I printed it out for you."

Sure enough, it was Tommy's letter.

He smiled at her, thanking her, and really he was grateful because man it would've been awkward to ask them to use the printer.

Now all he needed was Tommy's home address.

Which luckily, the ghost was up in his room when he got there.

Looking up at him from his seat on the bed with a smirk.

"Dude your foster mom totally called you out as a clean freak when she got in here." He mimicked her voice, a terrible attempt really, "Why does Ranboo never leave any messes?! I swear he's not a teenager!"

He perked up when he saw the papers.

"No way, you already got it?! Fuck, let's go! Let's go right now!"

"Uh..."

"What?!"

"...can I...uh...can I sit for a few minutes?"

"Shit right, sorry. Have a seat boob boy-wait, this is your bed. Uh...you don't need an invite. Whatever just sit down! As soon as you're rested, we're going!"

Chapter Text

Tommy's house is...

Well it's not exactly what he's expecting.

Given that his brothers are in the popular section of the high school he kind of expects the white picket fence you see in movies. The house that looks too expensive for the average person to afford.

Maybe a few cars in the driveway and a dog in the yard.

He's not expecting it to be tucked back away from the main road and with a falling apart fence that looks like every plant in the world is growing on it.

He's not expecting the open garage with an old truck up on a wench inside of it or the mom van out in front of that.

He's not expecting the wilting plants by the door or the broken window on the second floor, the grass is sloppily mowed, and there's a chipped chimney on the top.

It looks like no one has been taking care of it but it's very well loved.

"Off the road Ranboob." Tommy yells at him from halfway into the driveway and he steps off the asphalt carefully. Glancing to the mailbox that has painted handprints on it of varying sizes.

Like the Up movie.

"There you go, bit further. Don't want to be hit by a truck or something. They fly through here like assholes."

He bites back a retort over the way Tommy pronounces 'assholes'. He's been having to bite back a lot of sass lately around the ghost. He can't remember a time he was so sassy but Tommy just kind of brings it out of him.

He steps around a bike in the yard. Tommy's eyes lingering on it as he guides him up to the front door. It looks like its been there a while.

The grass is growing around it.

"Remember what I told you?" The blond asks right before he's about to ring the doorbell. "Who they all are?"

"As...as best I can remember." He hasn't really told Tommy about his memory problems and he hopes that he won't have to tell his family too.

He rings the doorbell and he hears the tune echo through the house. A bright happy almost bird sounding sound that makes him perk up.

Silence follows soon after and Tommy groans with how much time it is taking someone to answer. He puts his head through the door and Ranboo has to fight his laughter at the sight.

"Fuckers are just sitting there." He grumbled as he leaned back out, crossing his arms in a pout. "Start spamming it!"

"Wha-no! I'm not spamming the doorbell!"

"It's my house, I make the rules! Now spam it-"

"What do you want."

Ranboo jumps, looking over at the pink haired brother who pokes his head out of the garage. Practically glaring at him through his glasses. Brown eyes looking a little yellow in the lighting. He glanced at the papers in Ranboo's hands and scowls.

"We're not signing anything, get lost."

"Ain't he a cheerful bitch," Tommy muttered, jumping down from the porch and making his way over to his brother. Making faces at him he can't see and sticking his hands through his chest in an attempt to shove him.

Techno? He thinks this one is Technoblade...doesn't even shiver.

"Um...I...um..."

Ranboo stuttered, stumbles over his words. He can't help it, Technoblade is intimidating as can be. All buff and while shorter than Ranboo he's certain the guy could toss him about easily.

Break a few bones like you snap twigs.

"Spit it out." Technoblade snaps and Ranboo flinches.

Luckily Tommy is there. The blond teen groaning dramatically.

"Oi, don't be scared of him! He's all bark and no bite!" He flails about his hands. "Seriously he'll bitch about me hanging out with him but he also buys me equipment to play sports with him! Y'know he likes cute animals?! Got stuffed animals all over his room! Calls a big polar bear on his floor 'Steve' like a pussy."

Ranboo's lips quirk behind his mask. Taking a deep breath as he stumbles off the porch and limps his way towards the man. Trying to be brave.

Technoblade glares him down but doesn't do anything more than that. A rag in his hands that smells like oil close up.

"S-sorry sir...but um...I...is this...is this Tommy's house?"

He asks despite knowing better because it would be weird if the kid with memory problems knew exactly where Tommy lived. Techno's eyes narrow, a scowl on his lips but...his expression is also sad.

"...ah." He muttered, sighing heavily. "Yeah, you knew him?"

Ranboo nodded and Techno sighed again, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly as he looked away. "Listen kid, I'm not good with this but uh-...about Tommy he's-"

"I k-know..."

"Oh good...well, not good but uh-"

Oh jeez, Techno was just as awkward as he was wasn't he? He thinks he remembers Tommy saying something about this. He nods again, not much else to do and then he holds out the papers.

"Um...Tommy was...was my partner in school for a project and...uh...we...he had to send me a a few letters and w-when I heard about...I-...I thought you might like them." He added the last part in a whisper and Techno's features softened almost immediately.

No glares, no anger, no frustration or awkwardness. He reached out gently and took those papers. Cringing as he left a smudge in the corner with his dirty fingers.

He looked over the first few lines and he cracked the softest of smiles.

"...I highly doubt your name is Ranboob."

"It's not, sir...um...it's Ranboo."

"No need to call me sir, I'm just a few years older." The man shook his head, sighing. "But yeah, sounds just like Tommy to call you that. Heh...did he give you trouble with your project?"

"N-not much. We passed."

"Must not involved math, he hat-...hated math."

He read over more of the lines, Ranboo just kind of awkwardly standing there as Techno's eyes glistened with the hint of tears. Tommy reading over his shoulder like he didn't help write any of it.

Right, he was intruding. Best to leave.

He turned to do that and Technoblade cleared his throat. So he froze and looked back. The man tucking the letter under his arm and gesturing to the house. "Come inside and take a break kid, I'll get you something to drink."

"O-oh n-no that's f-"

But Techno was already gone in through the door in the garage, leaving it open for Ranboo to follow. He shot the ghost a look but Tommy was laughing and darting inside. Beckoning him with both hands to come too.

He sighed but nervously made his way into the house. Hesitating in the doorway and looking for a place to put his shoes because oh god was it rude to keep them on or off?!

Tommy was no help, the ghost ditched him the moment he went inside.

"Oh my god we're being robbed by the tallest teenager on the planet."

He jumped and looked up and there was the other brother, Wilbur. Somewhat leaning in the doorway to the living room and still dressed in those sweaters. How many did he have?

Ranboo realized a bit too late that he was being accused of robbery and tried to justify himself but Wilbur smiled. Soft and inviting despite his words.

"You must be the stray Techno was talking to outside."

"Y-yes sir...um...he told me to come in and-"

"Get a drink?" He nodded and Wilbur nodded as well. "Yeah he does that. Well, we all kind of do that. Come in! Don't worry about your shoes. We're all wearing slippers."

True they were. Techno had some fancy ones on and Wilbur's were shaped like salmon. The brother beckoned him into the kitchen and oh-this was much more nice on the inside than the outside.

The kitchen was as tall as the house was it seemed, the ceiling stretching so far up he didn't at all feel cramped and things hung down within reach around the table in the center. Light filtering in from the fish patterned curtains over the sink.

Everything was a pale green and white in color.

There was dishes in the sink that had seen better days and half-eaten food on the counters but otherwise it was clean and the fridge was covered in all sorts of photos and things.

Techno was getting a giant crystal pitcher out of the fridge and pouring some sort of brown drink into four cups. Three of the cups were solid colors and the last one was a paper cup. He didn't need to be an expert on their family to know who the last belonged to in this scenario.

The guest.

So when Techno handed him that, he thanked him and then Wilbur pulled out a chair that looked out of place and he was allowed to sit in that.

Oh it's tea. Sweet iced tea.

The pink haired brother handed Wilbur a blue cup and the papers.

"Check this out."

Wilbur took both, took a sip, and as he read over the first few lines a smile started to spread across his face.

"Tommy's writing!" He said cheerfully and in the back of Ranboo's mind he screamed hoping that no one would find out otherwise. "Oh this little shit-starting off a letter with 'you suck'. Of course he did."

He laughed and Techno laughed and that seemed to summon the last member of the household who trudged in.

Oh, this must be Tommy's dad.

He...he did not look good.

Ranboo didn't blame him of course, how else were you supposed to look after your son died but...oh.

Oh dear.

He had bags under his eyes and they were red and puffy like he had been crying just moments before entering the room. His hair looked greasy and unkempt, blond just like Tommy's and what should've been the same blue eyes were dull and gray.

His clothes looked like he had been wearing them for way too many days on end and he had slippers on too but they were the old dad kind of slippers you see everyone in old TV shows wear.

He smiles at Ranboo with this tired kind of smile as if he's used to finding random teenagers at his dining table drinking his tea and can't do anything about it.

Wilbur finishes reading and hands over the papers to their father without hesitation.

Who sets down his own tea and his eyes light up just as theirs had when they read the first few lines. Chuckling some.

Tommy takes the spot beside Ranboo at the table. Settling in in the chair that was left a little bit open and by the way he does it so naturally he can only assume that's Tommy's spot.

Halfway through the letter, when his dad is tearing up some, the man pauses and runs a hand over his face. Techno leaning on his shoulder in a comforting gesture and Wilbur is turned away. Hiding his own tears from them.

"What even is this?" The man asks, sounding amused at least, and Ranboo swallows down his drink a bit too fast to answer.

Coughing as he muttered out the same lie he had told Techno.

The man smiles, warmer and more welcoming than before. Wilbur reaching over to snatch the papers back out of his hands and he's giggling though the sound is a bit strained. "It's really him!"

"It is!"

"I can hear him as I read it, can't you?!" He asks his brother and father and they both nod eagerly.

"Oh boy, here it comes." Tommy whispers and Wilbur throws his arm out dramatically as he starts to read aloud.

The words sound so much different when he reads them. He reads them with Tommy's inflection and his mannerisms. Unlike how they sound in Ranboo's head like he's a robot printing out the words.

"Dear Ranboob, you suck!" He puts emphasis on the word 'suck' and his family laughs. "So does this assignment! Where does she get off?! Ms. Klark and her new age teaching bullshit. Making us be pen pals even though we're only two class periods apart! What the shit am I supposed to write you about?! How good the weather was 2 hours ago?!"

Phil and Techno take their seats like Ranboo isn't intruding at all. Laughing at some points and sniffling at others. Phil wiping at his face even though he's barely crying.

Like all of his tears have dried up.

"She put topics on the whiteboard and shit like that's supposed to help. Oh-" He puts on a flowery voice, eyes sparkling as he makes hand gestures that look exactly like Tommy mimicking his foster mother. "Ask your pen pal about their lunch period!" He cackles as he reads the next line. "So ayup boob-boy how was the French cuisine known as the tater tot special!"

"God those tater tots are the worst." Techno muttered and Phil wheezed a laugh. "Tommy hated those the most. Used to always come home and complain about how I could make a better potato dish."

"Yet he hated your casserole."

"He gave me a yelp review, Phil! A yelp review!" And Techno gestures wildly to the fridge where a paper is tacked to it with a little raccoon shaped magnet.

Ranboo can't read it from here but he can only assume it's the review.

Phil cackles at that, head in his hands like he's got a headache but he's smiling all the while.

Wilbur continues on with his dramatic reading. Pacing in a manner similar to how Tommy does in Ranboo's room. Lighting up at all the moments that Tommy would and spazzing about like Tommy would.

It's a brilliant display of family. Of just how much Wilbur paid attention to his younger brother.

It clearly fills a void they were all missing in the moment.

There isn't much in this first letter. They wanted to make it believable. Tommy wouldn't dump all of his baggage on Ranboo in one letter of course so this was just the gateway. The first step towards eventually getting the messages through.

Still, it's something and judging by how much Tommy is smiling at his family these reactions mean a lot.

"A-are...are there more?" Phil asks when Wilbur's done and Tommy lights up immediately beside Ranboo. Practically drumming his fingers against the table though they make no noise.

Ranboo nods and lies again. "Uh...I have to find t-the others. T-they're e-everywhere..."

"I would love to see them if you're willing to share." And then Tommy's dad finally offers his hand to Ranboo to shake. "I'm Phil by the way, I'm sure he's mentioned me but...well, I've been just sitting on my arse crying here instead of saying hello."

"I'm R-ranboo, not Ranboob like the paper says." And he thinks that's his cue to leave now that it has been read, now that everyone has listened to it.

Wilbur still clutching the letter like it holds the secrets of the universe as he reads it over and over again.

He stands up, stumbling some and catches himself on the table. Nearly tripping over his own feet to get away.

They don't laugh at him or anything and Phil stands to presumably see him out, handing him the paper.

"Oh-um...you can keep that." He tells the man and Phil smiles again. "I-It's a copy." Which isn't a lie.

"I'll see you out," Techno says and takes the initiative instead of Phil. Leaving Phil to comfort a now crying Wilbur. Their hushed voices following them out. They take the actual front door this time and Techno steps out with him.

One hand by his back to catch him if he stumbles this time. He makes it down the few steps without incident and turns to thank Techno for his hospitality.

Just to see the man shut the door and look at him with this...kind of scary serious expression.

"Ranboo."

Uh-oh...did he get caught in his lie? Is he mad? Is he going to beat Ranboo up and-

A hand clasps his shoulder gently.

"I can't begin to thank you for what you just did."

Oh.

That's the exact opposite of what he was expecting.

"My father...he hasn't smiled in weeks. Not...a real actual smile."

He can imagine.

Phil barely looked stable on his feet.

"If you do find more, we'd love to see them but there's no pressure if you can't. That one letter, that was...that was a lot." He nods in understanding and Techno relaxes some from his stiff posture. "...you were his friend?"

"K-kind of...Tommy just kind of...pushed himself into my life."

"Heh, yeah he does that." The brother smiled, genuine. "...did that." He added as an afterthought and sighed. "I owe you one, Ranboo."

"W-what? No!"

"Name it, anything. I owe you." Techno says again like this isn't the most ridiculous thing he's heard. "You'll probably never understand what you doing this meant to our family. Even if it wasn't addressed to us, that letter was-it was like hearing Tommy again...however brief."

He took off his glasses, wiped them on his shirt like a nervous tic. His expression pained but almost...content.

"...the house is so quiet now." He muttered, and maybe Ranboo wasn't meant to hear that but he did. Then Techno lifts his head up, steels his expression. He's hiding all of his pain behind a mask and Ranboo knows that so well.

"Do you need a lift home?"

"I can walk..."

"Let me rephrase that, do you want a lift home? I don't know how far away you live but that walk can't have been easy and this road is-it's not the safest."

"JUST TAKE THE LIFT, BOOB-BOY!" Tommy shouts from the doorway and Ranboo jumps at his voice but Techno either doesn't mind or notice. "He'll keep asking until you do!"

"I-um...sure, I would...I would like a lift."

"Cool kid, this doesn't count as my favor though. Got it? I still owe you one."

Chapter Text

Tommy gives Ranboo time off on Sundays. Like he's some sort of worker or something.

Making off-hand comments the night before that Sundays are "Minecraft nights". Which he can only imagine is a dramatic game of monopoly with the Minecraft family or something.

He's not complaining. He does enjoy that quiet peacefulness of his room he's been missing. Gives him time to rest and relax and install way too many apps on his phone.

As well as put Niki's phone number in, which she immediately starts texting him a bunch and suggesting all sorts of games.

He can't help but laugh to himself as he downloads Pokemon Go because the Go part is really ironic when you barely leave your bedroom.

But because of it, the day seems to go a lot faster and less productive than normal. No loud ghost to make him feel like he accomplished anything.

At least he's able to tackle the dreaded Monday of public schooling far more rested and refreshed than most people.

He doesn't see Tommy all morning, the ghost no doubt following his brothers around again. Though at lunch he sees none of them. No Wilbur, no Techno, no Tommy.

And as expected, no Tubbo as he sits there. Waiting for a friend who probably really isn't his friend to show up. Anxiously stirring his cheap mashed potatoes like that is the key to making them better.

Niki eyes him suspiciously but doesn't say a word and he's barely eaten anything by the time it's 5 minutes till the bell. He shouldn't have gotten his hopes up, really.

"OI!" He jumps, tossing his fork by accident and everyone in the area looks at him and oh god he hates it when people stare at him. He mutters apology after apology as he bends over to pick the utensil back up.

When he sits back up, Tommy is there. Leaning on the table like he didn't just almost make Ranboo a ghost with a heart attack.

Ranboo smiles at him, making it seem like he was doing it for Niki. The latter of which gives a reassuring smile back but Tommy just scowls.

"I need your help." The dirty teen growls and Ranboo moves to get up and throw away all of the food he didn't eat. Excusing himself quietly as he leaves the lunchroom so he can ask Tommy what the hell is going on.

The moment they're out the doors the ghost practically screams in frustration. Bolting down the hall, stopping, and looking back. "Come on!" He demands and Ranboo can only move so fast though he does pick up the pace. "Sorry, sorry, I hate to rush you but if you don't do something soon I'm going to haunt the shit outta this bitch."

He leads Ranboo through an exhausting journey to the library which is mostly empty save for a few students glaring at computer screens, a few tucked into corners trying to finish their homework, and at the desk...is Wilbur.

A Wilbur with a strained smile plastered on his face as a teacher, who he can recognize as their home ec teacher, is talking to him and looking at him with a-

Oh, Ranboo knows that look.

That's the look he gets when people don't know how to talk to someone with a cane.

Yikes.

Tommy gestures to the scene like that's all he needs to say and Ranboo inches closer, able to pick up the not so whispering voice now.

"-and I feel like the memorial could help motivate the students, really help them bounce back from this tragedy-"

...was she talking about a memorial for Tommy?

Whatever it is, it's not something Wilbur wants to talk about clearly. So Ranboo summons every ounce of courage he has and interrupts. He interrupts a teacher!

"W-wilbur?"

Wilbur's head whips around to look at him, strained smile pursing into a thin line and eyes glaring like he's two seconds away from snapping. He relaxes some when he sees who it is at least.

"Ranboo!" He greets like they're old friends, even drapes his arm around Ranboo's shoulders which is a feat within itself. The teacher smiles that same smile at him now.

He's used to it sadly.

"Are you r-ready to help me with my project?" Ranboo lies again and that's all that he seems to do lately. Wilbur looks confused for a moment, just a fraction of a second and then he brightens.

"Yeah! That's the entire reason I'm here man! Let's get those books and get to work!" He tugs, albeit gently, and guides Ranboo towards the corner of the library. Where tables are tucked back there and some students go to buy weed and who knows what else.

The teacher says something about talking to Wilbur later and the minute she's out of sight all cheerfulness disappears from Wilbur's face. Melting into a vicious scowl and his eyes darken.

He's a brilliant actor, Ranboo thinks. He wonders if he takes classes.

"Ranboo, if you hadn't shown up when you did I would've had the cops called on me again."

...again?

That's none of his business, moving on.

Wilbur sinks into a chair at one of those back tables. Face immediately hidden behind his hands as he dramatically groans. Maybe a bit too loud for a library and Ranboo awkwardly stands off to the side.

The ghost that had followed him looks a little relieved. Still pissed and glaring in the direction of the teacher but now that his brother was away from her his shoulders slowly slouched.

He took the seat across from Wilbur. Leaning forward like he was going to start a conversation with his brother.

"What a bitch, am I right?"

"She was such a bitch." Wilbur echoes without realizing it and Tommy nods sagely. He lifts his head and gestures out with his hands. "It hasn't even been a month! It hasn't even been a month and she just-oh I hate people like that! I hate it! All that fake kindness and thinking about 'the good of the people' like my family isn't people! If we wanted a fucking memorial we would've fucking asked!"

"I sure as shit don't want a memorial." Tommy grumbles, leaning the wrong way as opposed to how you're supposed to sit in a chair. "I don't know half of this school! Why should I care?!"

Wilbur groaned, softer. His hand running through his seemingly messy untamed hair. He glares at the table a moment longer before his expression softens and he sighs. "...would Tommy want one...?"

"Oi, I just said-!"

Ranboo is pretty sure Wilbur isn't talking to him. Certainly not talking to Tommy but...

He should probably say something right?

Just...kind of...help pass the message along?

How would he go about this?

Writing a letter seemed a bit extreme for something so simple. Like 'hey I found this letter that Tommy specifically says he doesn't want a memorial haha weird coincidence right?'.

Let's not.

He twiddles his fingers, playing with the logo on the handle of his cane in that nervous fashion he tends to do. Sucks in a deep breath and Wilbur startles, seeming to remember suddenly that he's there.

Looking up with wide brown eyes and his mouth open in an 'o' shape.

"Shit, Ranboo, take a seat. I'm not gatekeeping the table or anything."

Ranboo does take a seat, sitting next to the one Tommy is. It no doubt looks odd to anyone else but he'll blame his long legs if anyone asks.

Wilbur doesn't ask, just gives an awkward smile.

Ranboo smiles back behind his mask.

"Uh...I don't...I don't think Tommy would want a memorial..." He mutters then once he's settled in and Wilbur tilts his head. Slowly nodding like he understands.

"I guess not...yeah, that doesn't sound like him."

"Duh!" Tommy adds for emphasis. "It's like he's forgotten me! Ranboo, call him a bitch."

He taps the table twice for no. Tommy scowls but doesn't press.

Wilbur doesn't seem to mind his tapping. Sighing again as he leaned forward in his arms. "I'm being stupid."

"No you're being a bitch, there's a differ-"

Wilbur cuts off his own brother without realizing it. "I just-I'm worried that he'll be forgotten!" He blurts out and his face tints with a blush like he's embarrassed. His eyes holding this sadness in it that Ranboo can't even begin to describe.

Tommy makes a face at that, tilting his head.

"What the hell does that mean?" The ghost demands and Ranboo echoes it with a soft 'what do you mean' to Wilbur to get him to elaborate.

"Well-...no one outside of our friend group even really knows that he's gone, y'know? Sure, the rumors spread and I'm sure by the time we graduate everyone will know we're the weird kids with the dead brother-"

Weird?

Did Wilbur not know he's popular and literally worshipped?

Ranboo has seen the way people stare at Wilbur.

He's pretty sure if he charged a dollar for a kiss he'd be rich.

"-but I want...I want people to remember Tommy. I want his name to be in books and people will find him years from now. Hear about him. I want-" Wilbur cuts off, his breath catching. "...he was going to be a game developer. Like dad."

Oh.

"And...he never...he never got the chance. He...he always said he was going to make the next big thing and-...he never got the chance." Wilbur mutters the phrase over and over as he dips his head back into the crook of his arm.

Slowly muffling himself as his free arm hangs limply over his head. Fingers playing with his own hair.

If you glanced at him you'd assume he's just a tired teen falling asleep in the back of the library. Not wearing the world on his shoulders as his life crashes down around him.

Big mood, Ranboo thinks.

Big mood.

Tommy stares at his brother, expression twisted in a sad grimace. As if he's trying to fight back his own tears and breakdown with sheer stubborn will. He looks as if he's got a million words to say and no idea where to begin.

Wilbur sighs and lifts his head back up. "Fuck, I'm sorry Ranboo I don't-"

"The right people will remember him." Ranboo accidentally cuts Wilbur off and the older teen looks at him surprised. He quickly ducks his head down, muttering an apology.

"No-no! It's fine what...what are you saying? Who will remember him?"

"Well..you will...and uh...Technoblade...and Tubbo...and your dad..." Ranboo lists off the people the best he can. Nearly stumbling over Techno's name because god it's such a mouthful.

He ignores the ghost sitting beside him eyeing him curiously.

"I just...I just think Tommy's the type of person who wants...the people most i-important to him to remember him...not strangers..."
Wilbur doesn't say a word, just staring at him.

Ranboo clears his throat awkwardly. "But uh...if you're worried um...maybe your dad can put...s-something in his games? To remember him by? I...I don't know how games work to be honest."

Almost instantly both of the brothers brighten. The same wide eyes and wide grins and Tommy says "HOLY SHIT!" at the same time Wilbur shouts, "BRILLIANT!"

It's a bit of sensory overload.

Wilbur jumps to his feet. "Fuck I got to get home and tell dad, Tommy would love that-I know exactly what he'd want too!"

"Damn right you do! Go Wil, go! If he doesn't put it in I'm going to fog up your mirror every morning!"

Was that something Tommy could do?

Cool.

Wilbur doesn't give Ranboo a second glance, pulling his phone out of his pocket and running while texting someone. Laughing a little hysterically and Ranboo feels like he should be worried but Tommy is happy so that must mean something good.

He did something good.

...the bell rings overhead and he makes a face.

Wait, which bell was that?

He glanced at his phone and paled.

Oh...he skipped class.

He did something bad.

He'll have to apologize profusely to his teacher. Maybe they won't call his foster parents. Hopefully.

Maybe he wasn't even noticed if he's lucky.

He moves to get up and Tommy is practically vibrating beside him. All giddy energy like he's going to explode at any moment. The ghost jumping up to follow him and talking up a storm about something about a 'super cool mob' or something.

He doesn't understand a word about it but he listens because he's the only one who can and he asks questions under his breath as they pass through the halls. As Tommy phases through people who shiver and look around confused.

Just as he's about to enter his classroom however, Tommy's cold hand rests on his and stops him. He looks over at the ghost and Tommy looks away.

Face flushed like he's embarrassed to be doing whatever it is he's doing.

"Thanks." He says earnestly. "For helping Wilbur."

"O-of course...I uh...I'd do it again."

Tommy gives him a bit of a confused look. Smiles however even if he looks at Ranboo like he's crazy. "You're a weird one, y'know?"

Ranboo can't help but snort at that.

"Yeah? What gave it away? The messed up eyes?"

"Ooooo sassboo, I meant your personality."

"I have a personality outside of my appearance? That's news to me."

"Shut up and get inside, you look crazy talking to yourself out here."

Ranboo laughs as he enters the classroom, not caring if he does.

People give him weird looks but that's normal.

He gets through the rest of his day without incident. The ghost trying to help him cheat on a test but he ignores all the answers shouted at him. Going so far as to block his ears up with tissues.

Tommy dances atop of desks when he realizes he doesn't have to obey the school rules and yells about going to play on the elementary school playground even if he never actually leaves.

He runs about the class and Ranboo finds himself smiling behind his mask the entire time.

When he's about to leave and walk home, Wilbur finds him again.

Running up to him from the student parking lot, panting and wheezing like he's never run before. Leaning on his knees and Tommy laughs at him while Ranboo worries he might collapse and die.

Would he be charged with murder for that?

He's not entirely sure.

Wilbur eventually recovers and holds out a little slip of notepaper for him. "H-here. I was supposed to give you this at lunch."

On it is a number. Tubbo's name scrawled on it with a little drawing of a bee. "He couldn't make it today, had a doctor's appointment he forgot about. Told me to give you his number so you know he didn't ditch you."

Oh.

He thanks the man and Wilbur waves him off like it's no big deal. Turning to leave and only then pauses. Looking back at Ranboo with squinting eyes and glancing between him and the bus lineup which is now thoroughly empty.

"...are you...are you walking home?"

Oh no.

Not again.

What is with Tommy's family and-

"Come on, Techno will drive you."

Dammit.

The minivan is as awkward as it was the first time. Except now Ranboo is relegated to the middle of it where he sits next to a stuffed animal and a ghost. Awkwardly drawing his legs up because he's afraid to take up too much room.

Tommy made a face at the little raccoon strapped into the seat but sat down on the edge regardless.

Techno of course is in the driver's seat and now Wilbur takes up the passenger and the very back is full of stuff that wasn't there before-or was it, it wasn't exactly something Ranboo would remember vividly.

"Why the fuck is Timmy here?" Tommy asks before they even start up the car, the two brothers in the front bickering over music choices. It feels normal, like a family road trip or something.

Not like they were giving a lift to the supposed friend of their dead brother.

Ranboo glances over, confused and Tommy points at the stuffed animal. Ah, so the thing was named Timmy.

Alright.

"Ask them."

Ranboo makes a face and he hopes Tommy can read it behind his mask and glasses. Because he doesn't want to make this trip any more awkward than it is and that includes asking why they buckled in a raccoon stuffie.

Tommy doesn't take no for an answer. Huffing with a devious grin.

"Ask them or I'll wake you up before five."

He wouldn't dare.

Tommy's grin grows even more wicked.

He totally would.

Ranboo sighs, defeated. "Um..."

He tries to interrupt the bickering which has nearly turned into a full scale riot. Techno is slapping Wilbur's hands away from the radio and Wilbur is trying to fight him off. Trying to lick his hand occasionally to get the advantage.

"Louder boob-boy. You can't be quiet in this family if you want attention. You gotta scream."

He most certainly is not screaming.

"Um-!"

Nope, still ignored.

"Kick the back of Wilbur's seat, I used to do that when he ignored me."

Nope, definitely not. Nope, nope, nope.

"Come ooooooooooon Ranboo, it's not that big of a deal. Trust me."

He wasn't getting out of this was he? He lifted up his foot, cringing at what he was about to do but Tommy bounced excitedly beside him. Hands balled into fists as he cheered the teen on. He gave a gentle tap but it went unnoticed.

Tommy yelled at him to do it harder so he did.

Wilbur jumped, whirled around, and opened his mouth to yell.

"Tom-" He began but froze in place when he realized the teen doing that awful no good thing was not his brother. His...uh...his dead brother. Ranboo cringed and Techno cringed but Tommy laughed like that's what he wanted all along.

"S-sorry..." Ranboo whispered and Wilbur's face went through a journey of complicated emotions before settling into a complacent smile.

"It's alright! Were we ignoring you? What's up?"

"Uh-I just....I just-" He felt so stupid. So very stupid. He kicked Wilbur's seat just to ask about a stuffed animal? Really?! His face was burning behind his mask.

Techno at least took pity on him in that moment. Turning down the radio and looking in the rearview mirror at him. "Too loud?" He asked and Ranboo was thankful for the out as he nodded. "We'll try and chill. I don't like it when it gets loud too. We'll just talk or something."

He breathed a sigh of relief. Talking was good. Talking meant he could bring up the ghost's ridiculous questions naturally and not look like a total idiot.

"What do you want to talk about?" Wilbur asked, all bright and cheerful. An extrovert. Ugh, those things scared him.

Extroverts were helpful creatures but also very very terrifying. You never know when one will latch onto you and drain you of your strength.

Ranboo pretended to look around the car for a subject while Wilbur watched him curiously. Then settled on the raccoon and began the awkward song and dance of pretending like he just now noticed it, "Um...what's...what's w-with the-"

"Oh! That's Timmy, don't mind him!"

"T-timmy?"

"Yep!"

Well...that didn't explain anything at all.

Techno sighed as he pulled out of the school parking lot. "He's my driving buddy." When awkward silence followed his words he added, "I...get anxious if I'm in a car alone. So I take him with me to talk to."

Oh.

That made sense.

Tommy didn't seem satisfied with this answer however. Leaning between the front seats as he prodded at his brother's shoulder. "But didn't you stop needin' him and shit? You haven't used him since you were 16!"

Techno of course, didn't answer him.

So Ranboo piped up, "Uh...have you always needed him? I...I think it's a good idea and all...if I could drive I'd probably have one too but...um...oh t-this is awkward...s-sorry."

"Hey," Wilbur spoke up and he jumped with how angry the man sounded in the moment. Glaring at Ranboo because somehow Ranboo offended him oh dear. "Don't fucking apologize for asking questions."

What.

...what.

Techno snorted and Tommy burst into a laugh.

"Wilbur you're scaring the kid."

"Shit, sorry Ranboo! I just don't like it when people do that. Asking questions isn't a bad thing, y'know."

"N-no it's...it's fine. Sorry...for uh...upsetting you."

"...bruh." Wilbur said and okay Ranboo couldn't help it. He laughed at how put off the man sounded. Bursting into his own little squawky laugh and then quickly reaching up to clamp both hands over his masked mouth.

Tommy laughed louder at that and Techno had his own maniacal sounding laughter. Like the guy was about to topple a government or something. Eventually Wilbur's sour expression melted into a playful grin and he had his own way too loud squeaky laugh.

God, this entire family sounded so joyful when they laughed. He could only imagine that Phil sounded like all of them combined or something.

A horrifying mental image.

The rest of the drive is filled with Wilbur ranting, something about being unapologetically you and not being afraid to ask questions. He honestly barely listens to it. Not out of disrespect but solely because Tommy is repeating it at the same time as if he's heard the speech a thousand times over.

The echo is very overwhelming and he can't really focus at that point. They get to his house and Techno turns in his seat to look at him as he unbuckled.

"Ranboo."

Ranboo jumps and looks up at him.

"Do you want me to give you a ride home from now on?"

What.

No, that's so much work.

"Oh n-no that's fine, I'm o-"

"Oh that's a lovely looking window!" Wilbur cuts him off, pointing at the stained glass of Ranboo's front door. Something his foster mother treasured. "Do you mind if I take a closer look?"

"...n-no? I mean you can if you wan-"

Wilbur doesn't let him finish and gets out of the car. Opening the door for Ranboo to let him out and when he steps out, Wilbur's arm is around his shoulders again. Pulling him away from the car and towards the door.

"...this isn't about the window is it?"

"Nope!" Wilbur chimes. "Ranboo, would you do me a favor and accept my brother's offer?"

"Can I ask why?"

"Timmy." Wilbur says simply and he stares at the man confused. Wilbur sighs. "Techno stopped using Timmy a few months after he got his license because Tommy constantly wanted to ride in the car with him."

Oh.

So...Techno always had someone to talk to.

"And while I'm sure Timmy is great company..." He had such an air of sarcasm with that, rolling his eyes. "I think you'd be better company. And it kills two birds with one stone, y'know? My brother gets company and you get a safe ride home." He patted Ranboo on the shoulder as they stopped in front of his door. "You two can be awkward together."

"Um...no offense, W-wilbur sir...but um...why don't you just...r-ride with him?"

Wilbur's face contorts into a pained expression and he sighs. "Do you want the ride or not?" His tone was a little annoyed and Ranboo would hate to see how mad he'd be if he said no. So he just nods and Wilbur brightens, complete 180 from before. "Great! He'll see after school then!"

And then he walks away, waving like he didn't just pressure Ranboo into taking a ride from what is essentially a stranger twice in a day.

Ranboo waves and Techno waves and they drive off and he's stood there still processing everything as Tommy makes his way up his walkway towards him. Hands stuffed in his pockets.

"What's that face for?"

"Uh...can you even see my face?"

"I can see enough of it to know you're making a face."

"...I think your brother just threatened me into socializing."

"Ha! Yeah Wil does that. Don't worry about it. Tech will probably tell him off for it later. Or dadza will."

"...dadza?"

"It's what we call Dad, because of his username."

That made zero sense to Ranboo but he just nodded along like he understood. Going to unlock his front door and enter his house. It was quiet, almost unnervingly so but he basked in after that awkward drive.

Sighing with relief even as the ghost walked through him and entered the house like he lived there too.

He watched as Tommy stretched and looked away. "Your house is still ugly!" he whined and Ranboo closed the door behind him.

"It wouldn't have changed over the weekend, Tommy!"

"One could fucking hope it would, yeah?" Tommy paused in the kitchen. "Hey your parents left a note! They're going to be home late! It's just you and me then!"

Oh joy.

"Oh fuck off, you love me!"

...did he say that out loud?

The ghost poked his head out of the kitchen, giving Ranboo a tired look. Then like a flash it was gone. Eyes widening as he grinned. "Wait, can you cook? We should make a pizza!"

"A whole pizza? Tommy, you can't eat!"

"Fuck off, you're a teenager! You could eat 3 pizzas in one night!"

Ranboo most certainly could but he wasn't about to. Sighing as he took off his mask and glasses. Folding them on the nearby table where he set his bag. "Come on live a little, Ranboob!"

"Tommmmmy-"

"Pizza! And a movie! Let's watch Up!"

"How are we supposed to do that?"

"You got Disney+ right?"

"...no."

"...prime?"

"No?"

"...a laptop. You have a laptop!"

"It barely runs Youtube!"

Tommy opened his mouth to say something, probably protest that Ranboo lived such a boring life. Just for his face to pale in horror and he looked at Ranboo as if the teen had been the one to kill him.

Oh that's a horrible joke. He should not make jokes like that.

What if he slips up and says it out loud?

Oh that would be bad.

"...you've never played Minecraft have you?"

Ranboo: Hi Tubbo this is Ranboo I got your number from Wilbur

Tubbo: hey big man! glad uyo got it! sorry i missed today ill be there tomrorow tho :)

Ranboo: cool :)

Ranboo: hey quick question

Ranboo: how do I play minecraft

Tubbo: ...

Tubbo: whut

Chapter Text

Ranboo's life has never felt this out of control. Granted, most people in his position wouldn't say that. They'd be raging against the world for all that happened to them.

He wasn't that type of person however so he considered the many hospital trips and adjusting to walking differently as calm.

What's not calm is the fact Tubbo is standing on his doorstep with a bag slung over his shoulder. Looking every bit like he belongs there and he's waving to a sports car that's pulling out of Ranboo's driveway.

"Uh-" Ranboo begins and then Tubbo shoves his way inside, nearly taking him to the floor.

"Cool house bossman." He tells the taller teen as he looks around. "The cat stuff's a bit much though. Do I have to take off my shoes?"

"Er-yes?"

"Cool." Tubbo stops and starts doing just that. Tommy grinning wickedly from where he's leaning against the wall like he knew this would happen.

Ranboo can't take it anymore. The curiosity and confusion is getting to him.

"Um...w-what are...what are you doing here?"

Tubbo looks at him as if he's the weird one who just barged into someone else's house uninvited. "I'm here for a sleepover?" He says like it's obvious.

...what.

"Come on, Boo. You said you never played Minecraft before! Of course I'm going to bring it over!" Tommy cackles as that, doubling over as he clutches his stomach. Tubbo then stands, his shoes now off and tucked to the side and heaves his bag back onto his shoulder with ease.

Ranboo didn't notice before but Tubbo is actually pretty...buff? Where the teen found the energy to work out is beyond him.

Ranboo's body type was flagpole and he was content with that if it meant not suffering.

"Which room is yours?"

"I do-I don't, Tubbo, um-"

Tubbo stares at him, waiting patiently as he tries to find his words. He feels a panic attack coming on if he's honest. Worrying about what his foster parents will think, what Tubbo will do if he kicks him out, what is going on to lead up to this of all things.

And shockingly it's the dead kid haunting him that helps bring everything up from crashing down.

He stands in front of Ranboo, who is now for some reason on the floor-did his leg give out?-and he puts cold hands on his shoulder. Yelling at him through the screaming in his brain to breathe and relax.

And the words that really cut through are him telling him to call his foster parents.

It's a distraction, he thinks. A good idea to hear a familiar set of voices and without really registering what he's doing he shakily pulls out his phone and starts surfing through to the contacts.

He finds his foster mother's name and hits send and puts it to his ear.

Tubbo doesn't rush him, thankfully and Tommy quiets down as he listens to the ringing.

Ranboo dear, this is the first time you called! Oh this is exciting, what can I do for you honey?

"I-I...y-you-he-..."

Honey are you okay? You sound really shaky are you having an anxiety attack?

He nods, despite knowing she can't see it. She must hear the rustle of his clothes however because she starts talking to him about flowers of all things. Nothing having to do with the situation.

She gets his mind on the pretty ones she brought home the other day that were a gift from a co-worker. They're yellow and pink and still alive somehow despite everyone's track record of killing plants.

He listens to her until his breathing calms and his brain calms and he can focus on the here and now and realize that Tubbo sat on the floor across from him and Tommy is next to him and they're waiting for him to do or say something.

There we go, you sound so much better. What brought this on sweetie, do you know?

"Can-...can I have a friend over?" He whispers the question, looking at Tubbo as he says it and the teen seems to realize his mistake now. Mouth popping open in a 'o'.

What? Of course you can! Oh goodness were you afraid we'd say no? Ranboo honey, you're more than welcome to have friends over! Um-oh wait, I should be a strict parent hang on um-house rules!!! No breaking things, no parties, no drugs or alcohol and oh! If you order pizza, make sure to tip the driver, there's money above the sink in my cookie jar!

That was easy.

Way too easy.

"A-are you...s-sure?"

Yes of course. Now go have fun and don't stress, we hate leaving you alone as is! Of course you can have friends over.

And she hangs up before he does. He just lets the phone and his hand fall into his lap taking a deep breath as he does.

"Shit sorry, bossman. I kind of got used to just coming over to Tommy's place whenever. I completely forgot some people aren't allowed to do that."

He can believe it, honestly.

With how Tommy's family acts to complete strangers.

They welcomed Ranboo in once he showed his connection to Tommy and treated him like he belonged there despite how awkward it was.

He could just imagine that Tubbo fit in like a puzzle piece.

"Should I leave?"

"N-no um...they said...they said you could stay..."

Tubbo brightens immediately, like he didn't just watch Ranboo have a meltdown over having the first sleepover he's ever had in his life. Grinning wickedly and jumping to his feet. "Alright, pog! Let's do this!"

He offered his hand to help Ranboo up and Ranboo took it. Grunting as he was pulled with ease.

"But um-can we, can we stay in the l-living room for now? I...stairs."

Tubbo nodded. "Sure, sure. I don't NEED to see your room. Besides, I'm not going to make you do stuff you can't handle." He made his way to the living room, dropping down on the couch like he owned it and set his bag in front of him.

Unzipping it to pull out a laptop that was covered in stickers of all sorts.

"Alright Minecraft should be played on a big screen to get the best experience-I couldn't bring my setup-Dream said that'd be too much-" Tubbo started to ramble and Ranboo sank down into the far corner of the couch. Posture stiff and body sore as feeling returned back into his limbs.

Tommy leaned on the back of the couch, watching. Casting glances at Ranboo occasionally but making quips to Tubbo even if his friend couldn't hear him.

"Of course he wouldn't let you, he's such a bitch."

"-but I can hook this up to your tv!" He pulled out some long blue cord, grinning. "What do you say?" Ranboo could only nod and Tubbo didn't hesitate to jump back up and start messing with the television.

He really wanted to know where Tubbo got this energy. He was jealous. Not the bitter kind of jealous but the 'damn wish I had that' jealous. The crust on the toast kind of jealous.

Tubbo gets it set up in record time and soon there's a loading screen on his TV instead of just on the computer. A logo of MINECRAFT with buttons beneath it.

He squints and he notices yellow text hovering in the corner of the logo. Barely able to make it out as 'In loving memory of-' before Tubbo presses single player and sets the laptop in his lap.

He grunts and earns a brief apology.

"Sorry king, okay, I'm going to guide you! Don't worry about mistakes, I put it on easy and I picked a really good seed. Dream's favorite actually."

He had no clue what any of that meant.

He stared at the screen, hands awkwardly hovering over the keyboard and glanced up at the TV where it was easier to see.

"...uh-"

"Press the WAS-Duh keys big man." Tommy told him over his shoulder and so he did, jumping a little as his character moved.

Slowly ever so slowly with Tubbo's guidance and Tommy barking out what things Tubbo thought were too obvious to mention, he managed to get a tree down and a few achievements under his belt.

And all the while, Tubbo made small talk.

Well small talk was a bad way to describe it. He found everything under the sun to talk about. Filling the awkward silence between instructions and getting both Ranboo and Tommy to laugh.

By the time Ranboo stole a house in the village, their stomachs were growling and Tommy was yelling at them to get food. Ranboo gets up, his good leg a bit numb and he stumbles but catches himself on the couch.

Making his way to the kitchen to find the pizza menu and the money. There's more than enough for the hungry teenagers for sure.

He feels bad using it but it had been his foster parents who suggested it after all.

He brings the menu back and has Tubbo pick out what he wants. Cringing at the combination but he really shouldn't judge. Judging new friends was a surefire way to lose them after all.

Didn't stop Tommy from gagging however.

This is how Ranboo gets introduced to a meme as well. He's heard about them in school. His classmates talking about them and he's been hit a few times by 'yeets' of empty cans. The price of being tall and in the way.

But he learns about none pizza with left beef and he can't stop laughing about how stupid it is.

He thinks to himself that one day he'd like to try ordering it when he has his own money to spare. Just to see it in real life.

After they order, which Tubbo takes the phone from his hand the moment he gets nervous and stumbles over the words, they switch from his new world to one of Tubbo's old worlds. The shorter teen showing him all of these impressive builds he's made so far.

While they're playing, two people log in onto the server and start chatting with Tubbo. Who quickly introduces Ranboo like he's in there in game.

They talk to Ranboo easily, not at all minding that he's intruding and he finds himself relaxing some. Laughing more.

Pizza arrives and he takes off his mask and sunglasses at some point and Tubbo ties his hair out of his face. They watch a movie that was totally obtained legally and not at all from some weird website and they laugh about youtube videos afterwards.

They're so engrossed in whatever they're doing that Ranboo doesn't even notice when his foster parents get home until his foster mother's voice calls out that they should keep their voices down as it's getting late.

He looks around the darkened house with surprise and Tubbo scrambles to put his hair back. "Shit big man, time flies huh?!" He laughs but Ranboo can see a nervousness that wasn't there before. "Shit, Dream is going to roast me alive for calling him this late-"

"You-you uh...can spend the night, I think?" Ranboo questions more than he answers and Tubbo pauses in gathering up his things to stare at him through the mop of hair. Then slowly he relaxes and sits back down.

"You sure?"

"Y-yeah, uh...I think if it wasn't okay with my foster parents they would've uh...they would've said something."

"Oh, cool. So does this mean I get to see your room now?"

They get Tubbo's things back in the bag. The boy slinging it over his shoulder with ease and Ranboo has to stretch a bit before he can stand. The feeling of his good leg slowly returning with that awful tingle.

He can stand and walk however so he leads Tubbo to his room. When he flicks on the light, he can feel the judgment radiating off the shorter boy.

"Not even a MCR poster, really?"

"...what's MCR?"

Tubbo stares at him, Ranboo stares back.

"All this time I thought you were emo, not going to lie. Hey, we should totally dye your hair this week?" And just like that Tubbo makes himself at home, entering the room and changing the subject. Grinning as he sets down his bag and flops onto the bed. "I'm thinking pink and blue!"

"Uh-um, what?"

"Your hair, boss man. Your hair. One half pink, one half blue."

"My foster parents would kill me...I think."

"Okay fine, we go a little more natural. Half white half black."

He tries to picture it as he shuts the door behind him. Nervously making his way over to sit beside Tubbo. Folding his hands on his lap and twiddling his thumbs. "...do I have to?" He asks, wondering if this is some friendship ritual he didn't know about.

Niki had dyed hair, so it could be.

Tubbo laughs, throwing his head back as he sits up and grins at Ranboo. "What if I said yes?"

"...well I uh-I still want you to be my f-friend so..."

An instant later, the smile wipes away and he can feel Tubbo's frown without even looking. "What the fuck, I'm not going to stop being your friend if you don't want to dye your hair!"

"Oh..."

"...you don't have many friends do you?" Tubbo asked and Ranboo shook his head slowly. Staring at the floor of his room with much intensity. Hoping it would swallow him whole any second now.

Tubbo must think he's the biggest loser ever.

"...it hasn't been long since your accident has it?"

Ranboo looks up, startled and Tubbo winces. "Sorry to bring it up, Boo."

"...h-how...how did you know it was...it was an a-accident?"

"Because I did the same thing." Tubbo explained, leaning forward and kicking his legs a bit. The bed high off the floor to accommodate Ranboo's height. "When I first got out of the hospital, spent a few years just...shutting everything out. If I don't exist, the problems don't y'know? I'm not a bother anymore."

He rubbed the back of his neck before holding up his scarred hand to look at it. Turning it over with a sigh. "...my mom and siblings? They were so exhausted. Because they blamed themselves and they-" He closed it into a fist, scowling. "And they thought they failed me and I could see how hard they were working to fix it and all. But...I just wanted everything to go back to normal."

He gestured to his cane leaning on his bag. "...shit would never be normal though. Not the old normal anyway."

He sighed, laying back down on the bed and tucking his hands behind his head. "If it wasn't for Tommy, I might still be just sulking in my room. Pretending nothing happened. Like I was more okay than I was."

"I told myself, if I didn't show any weakness then I wouldn't be a burden and stuff. Cause yeah it was hard to walk down the stairs but I couldn't ask mom to move my bedroom! That's so much work and she works nights and took on extra hours to pay for the bills and stuff!"

"...and then Tommy just kinda...he just kinda invited himself over and started talking for me. Started telling my family the stuff I was too ashamed to say." He huffed and Ranboo got the sense he was rolling his eyes. "I punched his lights out the first time he did it."

"...he laughed it off." He added after a moment of awkward silence. "Told me I hit like a pussy."

"But it opened the floodgates, y'know? Mom and my bros they started noticing all the small stuff I was trying to hide and they just...they changed it up. How they do stuff, just to help me have this."

He spread his arms out towards the ceiling and Ranboo slowly laid back beside him, looking upward. Trying to find what he was gesturing to.

There was nothing up there.

"...what's this?" He asked, repeating the gesture.

"My new normal, big man. It's not the normal I want but hey, it's not so bad. I can live, y'know. Not like I used to but..." Tubbo trailed off, sighing. "...it sucks, I get it. It sucks and I'm so angry it happened but...if I stayed in that room and kept my head down at school I'd..."

He tapped his fingers against his chest.

"I'd be with Tommy right now."

Oof.

Wow, great response brain. Oof is such a great response to someone telling you they would've died. Haha.

Why is Ranboo so bad at this?

What should he say? Do?!

How do you respond to that?!

"Uh-"

"No need to comfort me or anything Ranboo. I didn't tell you that for a pat on the back."

"Oh. Okay."

"Actually, let me use that as the worst segue ever." Tubbo sat back up, rolling onto his side to face Ranboo. Leaning on his one hand and moving on like this wasn't a complete 180 in mood. "So, is Tommy in the room right now?"

Ranboo looked around, not seeing the ghost anywhere. Huh, when did Tommy leave? "No he's-"

He froze.

Wait a minute.

He looked over at Tubbo who was almost pouting. "W-what...what do you mean is T-tom-"

"Well you're talking to his ghost right?"

What.

He stared at Tubbo. Tubbo stared back.

Ranboo burst into a high pitched nervous laugh. Tubbo echoed it with a calmer laugh.

They both trailed off into silence.

Ranboo glanced to the window.

He'd survive the fall surely if he jumped out right now.

"Oh my god, Tommy didn't tell you did he?"

Seriously, just get up, open the window and jump out-

"He left me a code in his letter!"

He looked back at Tubbo, finding him completely serious.

"What?"

"That P.S.! It's a code we have. So if either of us died before the other we'd know if their ghost was around. We were going to find a medium and stuff to pass along the message." Tubbo is still serious. Still relaying this info like it's no big deal.

"...you...you two had a code...for when you died and...became ghosts?"

"...what? Don't you have one of those for your friends too?"

Ranboo is pretty sure if he proposed that idea to Niki she'd call him an ambulance.

All he can do is laugh, which gets Tubbo laughing. The two of them just sprawled out on the bed laughing like this isn't the most ridiculous scenario. Any sane person would be contemplating the implications of this.

Instead, they laugh like it's some big joke.

"So...are you a medium?"

"Pretty sure I'm a large."

Tubbo hit him in the stomach a little too hard.

It's weird getting ready for school in the morning with someone else. It's even weirder when that someone else is Tubbo. Who makes himself at home and greets Ranboo's foster parents like old friends.

They smile and laugh with him as his foster mother plates up pancakes she made for some reason. She smiles a lot at Ranboo for some other reason too.

They get dressed, they stumble over each other in the bathroom, almost get into a toothpaste fight and Ranboo completely forgets he's an awkward teenager with anxiety.

Tubbo practically drags him out of the house and that's when Ranboo remembers the deal he made yesterday. Cringing at the car in the driveway waiting for him. Techno tapping his fingers on the wheel bored.

Tubbo greets him obnoxiously loud, jumping into the backseats and taking over the furthest one to the left. Timmy is up in the front buckled in, so Ranboo takes the one he sat in before.

Then a hand grabs his seat and he tenses, glancing behind him as the football player he's seen plastered on promotional posters leans into his space.

Glanced at him once with almost stern green eyes and then looks at Tubbo. "Hey brat." He grinned and Tubbo grinned back. "How was the sleepover?"

"Pog."

"Pog." The guy repeated, chuckling and leaned on Ranboo's seat a little more. Invading his space. "So who's your friend?"

"Ranboo. Ranboo, this meathead is Dream. My brother."

"Meathead?!"

"You're a jock, you're a total meathead." Techno snorts loudly from the front, muttering 'owned' as Dream sputters.

"I am not! My major for college is computer science!"

"Which you got with a football scholarship."

"Techno, back me up here!"

"I can't hear you, I'm driving through a tunnel." Techno made static crackling noises and Tubbo burst into a laugh. Dream wheezing despite being the target of the teasing.

Ranboo laughed softly, finding himself smiling behind his mask. The brothers bickered back and forth, Techno occasionally chiming in with some sass.

And in the very back of the car, leaning and watching over them, Tommy smiled softly.