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Tubbo heard the loud creak of the front door opening and closing and footsteps against the hardwood floor. The bedroom door peeked open and Ranboo stood in the doorway, his suit jacket was missing and his undershirt was half unbuttoned hanging off his shoulders haphazardly. There was dirt clinging to his skin and his hair was ruffled with sticks woven into it. Sickly red burns ran up both his arms that shone raw. Tubbo gasped when he saw them.
“Woah, Jeez big man, what happened to your arms? They’re all messed up,” Tubbo huffed indignantly, grabbing Ranboo’s hands and turning his arms around to examine the burns that trailed all the way up to his elbows.
Ranboo sniffed, his stare not once leaving the ground. The tuft of fur at the end of his tail brushed against the ground. He didn’t say anything, soft warbles coming from the back of his throat.
“Sit down, I’ll get the first aid kit and then you gotta tell me what happened,” Tubbo nudged Ranboo towards the bed. Ranboo obliged, sitting down on the edge of the bed. He tilted his head to the side and watched Tubbo leave.
When Tubbo returned, Ranboo was in the exact same place that he had left him. Everything about the way he was sitting was wrong, he was sitting up straight, his head tilted to the floor unlike how Ranboo usually slouched as far as he could to make himself smaller. Even when he was sitting down he still was a good few inches above Tubbo’s head. His tail which normally moved idly whenever Ranboo was content was still. Occasionally his ears would twitch or he would tilt his head the other way.
He let Tubbo take his hands and apply salve to the violent burns on his skin.
“How did this happen?” Tubbo asked looking up, that happened to be the same time that Ranboo lifted his head.
It was like a switch was flipped the moment that Tubbo made eye contact. He saw the glowing purple eyes, the flick of his tail, and the way his ears pressed against his skull.
Of course, Tubbo was used to the way that Ranboo was, how his tail would flick back and forth rapidly when he was upset or angry, how his ears would twitch at the slightest sound or pin against his head when he was agitated. He was used to the way that Ranboo could unhinge his jaw, something he often did at meals, it didn’t weird Tubbo out as it did at first. How Ranboo would flex his hands, rubbing the pads of his fingers where his claws were.
Tubbo was used to the subtle way that Ranboo showed when he was angry, the tension in his shoulders, the slight unhinge of his jaw, and the flick of his tail. That was all normal.
Tubbo wasn’t used to this outward expression, the low growl that came from Ranboo, or the way that he bared his teeth like a wild animal.
He certainly wasn’t used to that anger being directed at him.
Before he was able to react there was a clawed hand around his throat, Tubbo was slammed against the wall with enough force that it took him a second to blink the dizziness out of his eyes.
“Ranboo what the hell?” Tubbo all but shouted, his voice strained. Ranboo growled, particles flicking off of his form. The grip tightened around his throat, his sharp claws digging into his skin causing blood to run down his throat. Tubbo gasped, pulling at Ranboo’s arm trying to get him to let go.
“What are you doing?” Tubbo cried out, tears welling up in the corner of his eyes, he could feel the heat rushing against his cheeks and he gasped, breath coming in and out of his lungs in shorter bursts. Ranboo didn’t react, he didn’t say anything and he didn’t let go.
If anything he held tighter.
Tubbo was lifted a few inches off the ground, his back scraping against the hard wall and he wondered if Ranboo had always been this strong.
Of course, he was, Tubbo thought to himself. You knew this.
“Ranboo, Boo, My beloved,” Tubbo tried, his fingers digging into the raw burns on Ranboo’s arms, the salve making his fingers slippery. He hadn’t even had the time to bandage them before Ranboo lashed out. Tears were running down Tubbo’s face, his head was starting to get fuzzy.
“Let go!” Tubbo shouted, coughing and wheezing, his chest constricted painfully.
Ranboo was growling louder now, he leaned close to Tubbo’s face, his eyes a piercing purple that Tubbo had never seen before, his jaw almost completely unhinged. But despite the glow behind them, they were glassy and unfeeling.
At a loss of what to do and feeling unconsciousness creeping closer as he gasped, his legs swinging uselessly in the air. He curled up, kicking hard, hoof colliding with Ranboo’s stomach.
The enderman gasped sharply and growled, his grip releasing and Tubbo dropped to the floor, scrambling away and feeling his throat, rubbing at the soreness. He coughed and sobbed his hands shaking. Ranboo stepped towards him, still growling and hissing, his tail whipping back and forth.
Tubbo pushed himself up to his feet and ran out of the room. Slamming the door behind him. He could still hear Ranboo growling, the sound ringing in his ears. He did the one thing he could think to do in this situation, he ran up to the attic, gathering Michael in his arms, and hid them both in the linen closet near the kitchen.
Everything that he had seen of Ranboo, he had never been scared of the enderman hybrid. After all the time they’ve known each other and Ranboo had done some strange things, Tubbo had only chuckled and patted Ranboo on the arm, helping him right himself.
Never before had Tubbo been scared of Ranboo but at that moment. Tubbo was absolutely terrified.
Michael was babbling incoherently, questions obvious in his tone, he reached up, his small chubby fingers touching the forming bruise on Tubbo’s neck. Tubbo just shushed him and sobbed, pressing the child closer to his chest.
He couldn’t hurt Ranboo, not more than he already had, by digging his hands into the burns and kicking him in the stomach. So Tubbo just prayed that Ranboo wouldn’t think that he’d be hiding and just leave or… do something that didn’t involve finding and strangling Tubbo.
Michael squirmed in his grip, he didn’t understand what was going on. Why his dad was crying. Tubbo didn’t answer his questions, instead just held him there, pressing his face into the fur on his head.
Growling trailed from the hallway and Tubbo could hear heavy footsteps. Ranboo’s boots dragged along the wooden floor. He paused just outside the door to the linen closet and Tubbo held his breath. The footsteps returned.
He heard the front door open and close.
It was a long time before Tubbo let out a sigh of relief, tears still running down his cheeks. But he unfolded himself and stepped outside the closet, still holding Michael tightly in his arms.
Michael talked hurriedly in Piglin, patting Tubbo’s face, worry creasing his features.
“It’s okay Michael, don’t worry, just got in a bit of a scuffle with some people,” Tubbo pressed his forehead against Michael’s, and Michael tugged on Tubbo’s horn playfully.
Tubbo set Michael down on the ground, grabbing his hand. He checked the front window, he could see the footprints in the snow from where Ranboo had come and gone. He locked the door and made sure the rest of the windows were locked for good measure, shutting all the blinds and putting out the lights.
All except for the bathroom light, where Michael joined him in bandaging the bleeding wounds on his neck and nurse the bruise that was growing progressively darker. Michael squealed in shock when he saw it and held an ice pack up to Tubbo, nudging him impatiently until Tubbo took it.
“Thanks, Michael,” Tubbo said, patting Michael on the head.
Michael snorted and nuzzled his face into Tubbo’s leg. Tubbo sniffled and rubbed his eyes, the ice pack cold against his throat, causing him to shiver.
Ranboo returned nearly two hours later, the sun was beginning to set and Tubbo was on the couch under a blanket. Shakily reading a book to Michael so he’d sleep. His hands hadn’t stopped shaking and he had wrapped a scarf around his neck to provide some sort of comfort so he didn’t have to see the bandages or bruise whenever he walked by a reflective surface.
Tubbo nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the doorknob jiggle and a soft muttering. Michael snorted, woken up from his half-sleep. He looked past Tubbo. Tubbo pushed his hand out, preventing Michael from getting any closer. Tubbo’s heart hammered violently in his chest.
“Tubbo?” Ranboo called as he finally got the key in the lock and managed to unlock the door. Tubbo forgot he had a key.
“Hey, Tubbo?” Ranboo asked again, toeing his shoes off near the door and hanging his coat off. His shirt was still coated with dirt and there was a crease of worry in his brow. “Why’re all the lights off?”
“Oh…” Tubbo stood up quickly, the blanket falling to the floor, he hoped that his anxiety wasn’t too apparent on his face. Michael squealed happily but Tubbo held him behind himself smiling at Ranboo forcefully.
“Just wanted to relax… you—you know…” Tubbo looked all over his face, for any sign that he was gonna acknowledge what happened. A bit of guilt? Still some anger or agitation? He examined Ranboo’s hands, his claws weren’t out anymore and his tail was swishing lightly. Ranboo didn’t get closer, he stayed near the entrance to the living room.
Ranboo nodded and smiled, “of course! I got mushrooms,” he said casually, holding up the bundle of mushrooms that he had as if that was the only reason that he had gone out. Tubbo nodded mutely, Michael was still squirming behind him, wanting to go greet his other father.
“I can start on dinner if you’d like to continue relaxing. I don’t mind,” Ranboo said with a shrug, he brushed dirt off his collar.
“If you’d like…” if there was a tremor in Tubbo’s voice, Ranboo didn’t notice. He didn’t notice the way that Tubbo seemed to be putting himself between Ranboo and their child, the way that his eyes were darting back and forth.
Ranboo didn’t notice the way that Tubbo let him cook without complaint.
Tubbo whispered to Michael and brought him back up in the attic, pressing a kiss to his forehead, telling him that he’d come get him when dinner was ready.
Whispering to himself and taking another deep breath, running his fingers over the scarf, he returned downstairs, sitting on the stool at the counter timidly
“Tubbo why don’t you take that off? It’s like a sauna in here,” Ranboo said with a light laugh, his tail flicking back and forth as he stirred a pot of soup. Tubbo sat at the counter, he reached up his fingers brushing against the thick scarf wrapped around his neck.
“It’s not even that hot in here…” Tubbo said slowly, forcing a laugh, “I think you’re just being dramatic.”
“Well it's certainly not hot enough to be wearing a scarf,” Ranboo said, looking over his shoulder and raising an eyebrow, “have you got a fever?”
He took a step towards Tubbo, reaching his hand out to press against the shorter boy’s forehead. Tubbo flinched backward, holding his hands up defensively.
He was slammed into the wall, a clawed hand tightened around his throat, a low growl emitting from the man in front of him.
“Don’t… don’t worry about me big man, I’m alright,” Tubbo said quickly, inhaling sharply. Ranboo’s eyes widened.
“No, yeah, of course, sorry,” Ranboo smiled weakly, turning back to the pot on the stove. Tubbo sat on the edge of the stool, his eyes glancing at the door. Ranboo’s tail swished back and forth slower than before, then it stopped and settled, the tip brushing against the ground.
“I was just… getting ready to go out, gotta make sure that Foolish is doing alright,” Tubbo balled his hands into fists, “that’s it.”
“Oh, did you say something about that earlier?” Ranboo shook his head slowly, “sorry must’ve slipped my mind, I shouldn’t have started dinner this early. Will you be back in time?”
“Oh uh… I—I think Tommy asked me to come help him with something as well…” Tubbo stumbled through his words, “I probably won't be back but… you could save some for me, I’ll eat it when I get home.”
Ranboo’s ears drooped— his ears were pinned against his skull— but he nodded, “oh okay. I’ll leave it in the fridge.”
“Thanks.” Tubbo stood up quickly, almost knocking over the stool next to him, “I should get going now, don’t wanna keep Foolish waiting.”
Ranboo nodded, waving weakly. He forced a smile and Tubbo forced one back.
Tubbo shivered as he half-ran out of the cabin, tugging his coat off the coat rack and fumbling to zip it up before he set off. Not knowing where he was going, just knowing that it was somewhere outside of Snowchester. Ranboo didn’t know, Ranboo wouldn’t find out, he couldn’t find out.
For a moment he had forgotten about Michael, how his child was still back in his room while Ranboo was making dinner. He was filled with the need to just get out that he hadn’t stopped to think about it. Tears were already rolling down his face as he half walked, half ran down the prime path, trying to get himself as far away as possible.
He was lifted a few inches off the ground, the hand around his throat tightening, claws digging into his skin. Tubbo gasped and clawed at the hand holding him, tears spilling down his cheeks as his begging fell on deaf ears.
Tubbo sniffled, his ears twitching nervously, he huddled underneath a tree near the crater of what was left of L’manburg. His coat no longer needed was causing sweat to roll down his skin. He took it off and discarded it on the grass next to him, the scarf tight around his neck. He ran his hand over the scratchy wool.
He curled in on himself, letting his tears flow freely. His neck ached and the puncture wounds stung. He sobbed, ignoring any mobs that would hear him. His heart was hammering against his chest and he felt like it was going to give out at how fast it was going.
A low primal growl against his face and the bright purple glow of his eyes.
He’d have to go back eventually, he’d have to make sure that Michael was safe. But at the moment he couldn’t move. Couldn’t even think about going back to where Ranboo was still making dinner.
His chest tightened with fear and he shook and shivered against the chilling wind, his entire body aching.
He had thought that Ranboo was going to kill him. And at that moment, Tubbo was sure that he could.