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pandoraborn · 3 years

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Cruelty of the Beast - Part 10

( previous. )

Characters: c!Ranboo, c!Tubbo Word count: 1988 words Content: drugging mention, divorce arc, tubbo and ranboo part ways, tubbo hates ranboo, sad, whump, angst

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Sneaking out had been difficult. For one, using potions of weakness to actually drug Dream and Wilbur had been an adventure all on its own, because the two seemed to notice everything. Tommy had managed though, by slipping some into their drinks. It’d taken time to kick in, leaving the two men sound asleep in their beds.

For two, actually getting them to their beds in the first place. Ranboo and Tommy had spent much more time than they wanted dragging the adults into their beds and tucking them in. There was the risk that they’d be pissed when they woke come morning, but with the current urgency to meet with Tubbo, Ranboo feels like he can take the risk.

He tells Tommy to message him the second anything happens, and he’ll ender pearl back. With that, Ranboo leaves.

He doesn’t offer much, he sends Tubbo a quick message before traveling in the direction he thinks the SMP might be in. He knows he can’t be too far, but still far enough out that he’ll be risking things. He hopes Tubbo is taking the message to heart and meeting him halfway.

<You whisper to Tubbo> meet me in the nether by the old vault portal

There’s no response, but Ranboo isn’t concerned with that. He’s concerned with using the nether portal and traveling through the nether as far as he can until he reaches something that looks vaguely familiar. Just because he has his memories back doesn’t mean he exactly remembers every detail about where they’ve traveled.

It takes roughly two hours to find something familiar. He recognizes some bizarre pathways and staircases, and it only takes a few moments more to come across the main ‘highway’ of the nether.

Turning, Ranboo makes his way toward where the portal leading to the vault is located. He can see Tubbo already waiting there, so Ranboo slows down, trying to force a grin on his face. It fades when he sees that Tubbo isn’t smiling back. His lips are a thin line and he’s pacing back and forth, only to stop when Ranboo is close enough.

Ranboo reaches out his hand, wanting to pull Tubbo in for a hug. It’d been too long for both of them, and he wants to ease his way into this conversation. The second Ranboo’s hand brushes across Tubbo’s shoulder, the other teen smacks his hand away. It falls to Ranboo’s side limply, with him ignoring the stab of hurt.

“You’re unhurt,” Tubbo says frantically. “I thought you’d have been in more danger. Do you have any idea how worried we are? We’ve been looking everywhere for you and Tommy, and now you have the decency to show up looking out of breath and unhurt like nothing ever happened!”

“Tubbo, there’s so much going on, I don’t know where to start.”

“So start somewhere Ranboo! It’s been days. You could start with you pulling a sword on me, or nevermind that even. You could just start with why you haven’t been in contact before now, of all times. Where have you been? Why can’t you come back with me right now?”

“I can’t go back, Tubbo. Stuff’s changed.”

Tubbo stares at him. There’s an anguish in his eyes that breaks Ranboo. Were he not so convinced of his own ideals, he’d crumble. Tubbo always brings out the softer side in him, Tubbo makes him want to be a better person. It’d be so easy for him to just give up everything he helped work for and go back home. He could enjoy a domestic life and never worry about danger again. Life would be perfect, Ranboo would be happy.

On the other hand, he’d come so far, and they’re so close to the end. Ranboo can’t leave Dream to do this on his own, not when he had helped both Dream and Wilbur with so much. Their plan had gone off perfectly, and Ranboo can’t ignore that he helped cultivate this. Tubbo would hate him if he knew Ranboo’s part, or how much Ranboo had helped accomplish. This was all partially his idea, as well. Ranboo can’t just throw that away.

Maybe Ranboo deserves to be hated.

“So explain to me what changed, Ranboo. Because I lost both you and Tommy in one go, and I’m over in Snowchester completely alone. Please help me understand, because I don’t have anyone anymore.”

“That’s not true, you have people.” He hopes that sounds reassuring enough. Another smile is offered, and dropped at the glare Tubbo shoots his direction. Clearly it’s not reassuring, because Tubbo’s lifting a fist to punch at him. It’s not a very hard hit.

“Don’t patronize me!” Tubbo yells. “You have a son back at home who’s asking for you! Did you know Michael’s talking now? He’s asking for you! I even have Phil coming around and dropping comments about how they miss Tommy up in their stupid cabin, you don’t get to come here and act like this is some final meeting or whatever stupid crap this is!”

Ranboo’s shoulders slump as he grabs at Tubbo’s wrists to hold him at bay. “Tubbo, this is goodbye.” If his heart was breaking before, one look at Tubbo’s tear-filled eyes shatters him. Getting too close had been his mistake.

No, fracturing his mind had been a huge mistake. He’d never have ended up in this position otherwise, he’d never have helped Dream while falling in love with a son and living a blissful life with his husband. This is harder than it should have been; he only has himself to blame.

“Tubbo, listen. I’m part of something huge. We’re all okay, that much I can promise you, but we’re all changing. The next time you see us, you might not like us anymore.”

“I already hate you! I thought you were dead, and then you send me this stupid message in the middle of the night like nothing ever happened! Why are we here, what are you up to, and why aren’t you more mad about being kidnapped? Where is Tommy? He hates Dream! Why didn’t he escape?”

He wonders how much information he can give. Anything he says probably doesn’t matter, because it’s not like anyone can find where they’re all located, nor can they stop them from unleashing a dragon.

“He wants to be with Wilbur,” Ranboo says. “You’re right about him hating Dream though.”

“And you? What about you? What are you up to? What is happening, why won’t you tell me?”

“I want to stay with Dream.” Ranboo doesn’t like the taste of the words coming out of his mouth. It’s still a strange pill to swallow, but the expression on Tubbo’s face makes it all the more sour.

Tubbo doesn’t look pissed anymore. He doesn’t even look disappointed. Instead, he’s reeling back, as if Ranboo’s touch shocked him. Tubbo’s lips are curled back, nose scrunched up and eyes widened. His teeth are clenched tight as his hands curl into fists. The emotion coming from Tubbo now is papable; Ranboo is hedging away, before Tubbo can lash out. The disgust coming from Tubbo is even more bitter and sour than anything Ranboo had said before this. It’s the final nail in the coffin for whatever friendship or romance they’d shared.

“I’m sorry,” Tubbo whispers. His teeth are still clenched, and he’s lifting a hand to brush ash out of his hair. “I thought I heard you say something utterly ridiculous. Please tell me I’m just dreaming of the worst-case scenario, and the truth in the waking world is that you’re hurt and still trying to escape.”

“I... no, this is real Tubbo.” Ranboo shakes his head. “We’re doing something big. Something that’s going to make everyone hate us. Tommy’s included in that us, too. I’m sorry, I wish things were different.”

“Yeah.” Tubbo steps back. His movements are uncomfortably stiff. He’s far colder than he was upon first greeting. He’d guessed just seconds before, but now it’s obvious that there is no more bond between them. Reality is finally settling in, and the ache of losing Tubbo is already fading. Maybe it’s acceptance, but the lack of guilt and pain is more concerning than he cares for.

He should care more. This is Tubbo. His own eyes are as dry as ever, while Tubbo’s cheeks are wet. “Tommy better be okay, Ranboo.”

“We’re there of our own free will, Tubbo. Me and Tom-”

“I don’t care about you, I care about Tommy. He isn’t a liar, nor would he do anything this selfish. He’s spent all this time fighting against any sort of injustice, no matter how wacky it was, he wouldn’t start now. I still remember what he looked like the day you all took him away, he was traumatized.”

Tubbo takes in a deep, shuddering breath. His eyes are red-rimmed now, betraying just how broken he really is. Ranboo finally feels some sort of dam break inside. Not for Tubbo’s emotion, but Tubbo is crying over Tommy, not him. It’s such a hypocritical feeling, considering he doesn’t feel so much remorse over Tubbo hating him anymore.

“So I’m warning you, if whatever you’re planning gets him hurt, I’ll kill you myself.”

“You’re not going to like him if and when you see him next,” Ranboo reminds him. He prepares to leave, deciding that they’d been talking long enough. He doesn’t doubt that Tubbo could actually kill him. He also is sure that Tubbo is probably armed. Ranboo is not.

“There is nothing that could make me hate Tommy. Whatever lies you fed him wouldn’t make him betray me. The rest of you can get fucked.” Sure enough, Tubbo is pulling out a sword. Not the best sword, but it’s still a weapon Ranboo doesn’t currently have.

“Alright, I’m leaving.” Ranboo turns to head back down the path he’d come from. He has hours to go before morning, but he’d like to get back to Tommy before the guy loses his mind.

“Ranboo?”

“Yeah?” Ranboo looks up and turns to face Tubbo. The teen is no longer crying, but he no longer looks so disgusted, either. There’s just a simmering anger felt now.

“Is whatever you’re planning going to put all of us in danger?”

Ranboo debates answering this at all. Though, Tubbo already thinks he’s a liar, he’s not going to believe anything Ranboo says at this point.

“Yeah. It’s going to be a massive change, Tubbo. I suggest you all get ready.”

“Thank you.“ Tubbo leaves before Ranboo makes it too much further. He doesn’t turn around to watch, but he can hear the crunch of the ash fading as Tubbo moves further away. Ranboo listens for the sound to fade completely before he moves forward.

He wants to feel a loss. He wants to let himself cry over the broken marriage, or the fact he’ll never see his.. Tubbo’s son again. Ranboo wants to let himself sob over the whole ordeal, but he’s pushing onward again.

All he can think about is getting back to Tommy. It’s not the same bond he’d shared with Tubbo, not even close. But in this ever-growing darkness, Tommy’s the obnoxious ray of light he wants to stay close to. They share this goal, this new life together. It’s not just Tommy, either. But Wilbur has been kind, and Dream. Ranboo trusts Dream with everything. He’d continue to follow Dream to the end and beyond.

For some reason, he feels more like himself around those three than he’d ever felt before. He’d called Tubbo and Michael his family, even played the part of an overprotective father.

But it wasn’t until now that he’d felt anything resembling family. And of course, he’d do it all over again if he had the choice. His choice now is to go back to the cabin in the distant taiga, where he belongs.

It’s home, after all.

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