Can we have prompt 1 with tommyinnit, the biggest man ever
1) “Don’t look at me, I was still dead at the time.”
Ranboo had essentially disappeared off the face of the earth.
Techno ignored the little sliver of hurt in his heart when he saw Ranboo’s little mountain house just as abandoned as it had been the day before. And the day before that. Not that Techno was actively looking, he just...happened to notice. Every morning. That Ranboo wasn’t home.
Not that this was his home, it was just one of his bases that he frequented often. It wasn’t like Techno got used to his presence, just down the way. Not like he fell into a comfortable rhythm of seeing the ender-hybrid every day, not like he genuinely enjoyed talking to him. He was just there, paying rent on his and Phil’s property, and that was it.
Techno mentally waved away the voices that were unanimous that he was full of shit.
Techno worried, although he was not one to do so often. What if something happened to Ranboo? What if he was taken, or killed, or....what if he forgot him and Phil?
Techno was adamant that his concern was merely professional, as Ranboo had been paying him for the land he was allotted. The pigman still feverishly checked his communicator every few minutes for any notice of Ranboo’s name.
Techno finally saw Tommy again after about a month of radio silence from Ranboo. Techno was not one to be caught off guard, but he did stop his stroll completely when he laid eyes on the kid that was--is--his enemy.
Tommy’s yellow hair, so akin to his father’s, had gone a muddled white. His eyes, though still that trademark electric blue, were sunken and inflicted with an emotion Techno couldn’t figure out. Tommy held himself differently, no longer imbued with the air of an obnoxious confidence that he used to possess.
Techno felt some obligation to Phil to at least talk to his friend’s son. The grudge had been buried with L’manburg, and although Techno didn’t really feel like checking in was appropriate after all that had happened between him and Tommy, he didn’t make any effort to stop himself from tridenting over to where the boy stood on the Prime Path.
Techno didn’t miss the flinch from Tommy when he landed. Nor did he miss the empty but terrified expression on his technical nephew’s face at his approach.
Techno awkwardly cleared his throat.
“Uh. Hullo.” Techno tried, feeling a growing awkwardness at how Tommy was still perfectly unmoving like an animal in headlights.
“Have...you seen Ranboo?” Techno said, grasping at straws for conversation. To his surprise, Tommy meekly nodded.
“He’s in Snowchester.” Tommy said, his eyes never leaving Techno’s axe slung across his back. Uncomfortable silence laid thickly between the two as Techno’s mind grew curious, confused, and suspicious at why on earth Ranboo would be in Snowchester of all places.
Techno snapped out of his thoughts, looking down at Tommy again, who still had not moved an inch. He really wished the kid would stop looking at him like that.
The pigman shuffled in place, feigning curiosity at their surroundings just so he didn’t have to look at Tommy’s face. “Do you...wanna come?” Techno hesitantly offered, remembering the whole reason he came to talk to Tommy in the first place was to see if he was alright, though he was now heavily regretting it for the awkwardness that followed.
To Techno’s shock, Tommy nodded again.
The unconventional duo made quick work of traveling to Snowchester, though it did end up taking longer since Tommy was without depth strider boots, meaning they had to travel via boat instead of the water tunnel.
Techno stopped short when a towering build came into view, his mouth parting in shock at the sheer size and detail of it. It looked as if a woodland mansion got a complete makeover and also a few growth spurts while it was at it.
Tommy kept rowing, unperturbed at the beautiful sight. Techno blinked a few times as the voices echoed his amazement, and picked out from the cacophony that this was the work of Foolish.
Techno made a mental note to comment on the guy’s skill the next time they met.
He followed Tommy up the shore, his eyes pulled away from the mansion to the much less impressive looking surroundings. It was then that a very familiar black and white silhouette exited the gigantic mansion.
“Ranboo!” Techno shouted, moving before he could register what he was doing was very counteractive to the professional state of mind that he tried to keep up during all this time. The ender-hybrid snapped up at the noise, eyes widening in shock and something else underneath as Techno approached.
“Where have you been?” Techno said as soon as he was within ear shot, failing to make his tone casual instead of accusatory. Ranboo took a step back and shrunk in on himself, a behavior that meant he felt upset but didn’t show it.
“Uh. Here. Hi, Techno.” Ranboo said sheepishly, staring at the ground. Techno pulled a breath in between his teeth. The voices were indiscernible against each other, which either meant they were disagreeing with him or they were tripping over each other to tell him something. Techno again pushed them back.
“I mean. That’s fine and all but it’s kinda cringe to just leave without sayin’ anything.” Techno commented, only feeling a little bad at the wince from Ranboo at the words. He had no idea how stressed Techno had been this past month, did he?
Technodad, Technodad! Techno saying he doesn’t care; weirdchamp. Techno worrying over memory boy; BIG POG, the voices sang. “Shut it, chat,” Techno muttered, his anger now shifting into annoyance.
“I’m sorry, Techno-” Ranboo started with a genuine guilt in his voice, cut off almost instantly by a cheerful yell. “Ranbooooo, my beloved!”
Techno gripped his axe handle as Tubbo came galloping up to Ranboo’s side, taking a few tries to reach his arm before childishly linking their elbows together. “Wanna go mining with me, hamster muffin?”
Techno’s face reddened at the same time Ranboo’s expression shifted to horrified embarrassment, Tommy letting out a choked laugh as he came into earshot right at that moment.
Ranboo coughed and awkwardly slid his arm out from Tubbo’s, his cheeks steadily flushing green. “T--Techno and Tommy are here,” he stuttered.
Tubbo blindly whipped his head around, his brows arching in shock. Instantly his energy changed from cheery to wary and on guard. Techno narrowed his eyes. The feeling was mutual.
“Tommy?” Tubbo uttered. “Yeah, Big T.” Tommy replied tiredly, complying when Tubbo reached out in his direction. They clasped arms, Tubbo quickly pulling his other half close protectively. Techno carefully didn’t allow himself to react, not even internally.
“Tubbo, ah--can I speak with Techno privately?” Ranboo asked with an uncharacteristic softness to his words. Tubbo nodded mutely, his pale face making the scars across his eyes caused by the man facing him stand out like blood against the snow.
Ranboo and Techno split off, the tall hybrid leading him inside the mansion. Techno was once again distracted by the shiny chandelier and arching staircases that wound up and around to an unseen second floor.
Ranboo took a seat inside a boat beside a currently dormant enderman, Techno lowering his gaze to keep it that way.
“What is happening? Why are you hanging out with the government?” Techno asked, only letting a bit of bite slip into his tone. Ranboo looked up, and Techno suddenly felt an icy feeling drop into his gut as Ranboo’s gaze forcibly held him in place.
“He’s not government anymore, Techno.” Ranboo said, pleadingly, and Techno breathed again when the hybrid lowered his eyes. “Tubbo’s my husband now. He’s changed.”
The voices faded into a static as Techno felt as if the ground was pulled out from under him. Husband? He married the president? His friend married the one that put him in a cage and tried to end his life?
Techno’s mind spiraled as he started to realize the friends he chose were beginning to display a pattern.
“...I gotta go.” Techno said, hot betrayal in his heart and blood on his tongue from how tightly he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from losing his cool. Ranboo’s expression crumpled, but Techno turned away before he could say anything else.
Techno left the mansion, storming up to Tommy in such an intimidating manner that the boy instinctively shoved Tubbo behind him, as if it were the old days before Techno even knew him.
Techno continued right past them. “Tommy. We’re leaving.”
Hesitant footsteps followed him, lagging behind after quick goodbyes. Techno narrowed his eyes as Tommy produced both of their boats from his inventory. Techno closed his eyes and took a breath, ignoring the voices protesting his actions.
“Did you know?” Techno asked, keeping his voice carefully level. “Know what?” Tommy replied, looking up from his descent into the watercraft. “About Ranboo. And Tubbo.” Techno said, maybe enunciating the ‘T’ a little too much.
Techno blinked when a very similar look of bitterness to what he felt crossed Tommy’s face.
“No. I only found out yesterday.” Tommy said. “Moved on pretty fuckin’ quick, huh?” he muttered with venom in his words, an aching sadness barely concealed underneath. “Man leaves for a month and suddenly your best friend is married to his new best friend with a bloody kid.”
Techno whipped towards Tommy so fast that he got dizzy, opening his mouth for a furious question that never came. Tommy just shook his head with an exhaustion that seemed to come from his very soul and pushed off the frozen shore.
“Don’t look at me, I was still dead at the time.”