Runaway (Ranboo x Reader)

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In a way, it reminded you of the shackles that were once placed on your wrists, a reminder that you had been nothing more than an object. How Ranboo saw those caps was beyond you, but you couldn't imagine he enjoyed having the daily reminder of such a terrible experience placed on his body.

You didn't inquire him about them, instead turning your attention onto the now panting and tired Fundy and Puffy. "They do seem happy, don't they?"

Nodding, Ranboo smiled, getting up from the log and adjusting his shirt.

"Alright, we should make a good distance away from the city and try to reach the first landmark." Puffy huffed while looking at a thin piece of paper, leading to what you assumed was the holy lands. Glancing at the stars, the group began to navigate their way through the sparse forest, only stopping for Fundy to climb a tree and read the stars to make sure you had been travelling the correct direction.

Fundy assumed that the city would find out about their disappearance as soon as daybreak hit- for that was when the store normally opened.

"The last hybrids to do this ended up getting caught a day after they had been reported missing." Puffy started up a conversation while trying to navigate through the dark, lantern lighting the small area around the group. You had taken the second lantern and stayed in the back in order to provide the most light, and also to prevent anyone (specifically Fundy) from wandering too far. "The poor things had gotten stuck without a way across the ravines."

Fundy placed his hand on Puffy's shoulder, noticing just how uncomfortable she had gotten. "We watched as they were carted back to the city- dirty and bruised from trying to fight against the traders. Some...decided to take a chance with the ravine."

"They didn't make it back."

The realization made you flinch. There was a good chance you would become like the others, carted back to the city and returning to the leather whips still fresh along your back. Your steps faltered in the steady rhythm, staring at the torch-lit ground in front of your feet.

Ranboo noticed you slowing down to a stop, turning around to see you in a daze completely gone from reality. In an instant he was by your side, carefully guiding you from your trance by placing his hand in yours, gently prodding you to take another step until you caught up to Puffy and Fundy.

"(Y/n)?" He whispered so only you could hear. His calm voice causing you to look up to him, to see the gentle smile along his face. "We're going to make it, remember?"

With his free hand, he held out his pinky, a reminder of the promise to take you to the holy lands, no matter the dangers to ensue.

"You're too good for this world, Ranboo." His smile widened at your words, a light pink dusting his cheeks. Turning his face to hide the blush, you simply chuckled before lifting the torch in your hand, trying your best to calm your quickening heartbeat.

For hours you walked, stepping over creeks and avoiding any lakes that you came across. Ranboo had shown his distaste with water many times you had come across it, but thankfully there was no threat of the sky drawing in rain clouds any time soon.

When the sun began to dawn upon the world, Fundy decided to make camp and sleep for a few short hours, serving each one of you half a loaf of bread before curling up into a ball- rest coming quickly for the fox hybrid.

As for Puffy, she stayed up for a few minutes to speak with you and Ranboo, whom had been glued to your hip ever since the journey began. Perhaps it was for your comfort or his own, but neither of you had complained nor seemed bothered by the closeness. It allowed you to count the freckles across his cheeks with a scary precision, noting how his eyes also seemed to glow brighter when he had been excited.

"So Ranboo," Puffy began, thoroughly enjoying the soft bread in her mouth. "You're half Endermen, right? Does that mean you were born in the End realm?"

"I'm not actually sure where I came from, but my adoptive mother raised me in the holy lands for years, until I finally decided to leave and find a life for myself." Ranboo leaned against the tree, blocking out the morning sunlight with his hand. "I've heard the End realm is a cold place though, with mostly only Endermen living there."

Puffy smiled, recalling the stories that everyone had been told about the legends of the End. Rumours of the skies that held millions of stars hiding stories beyond comprehension, pillars of the unbreakable obsidian towering over the world with hidden gems atop. Some stories even told of a dragon lingering in the hidden corners of the world, awaiting a time to strike the End once more.

But those were just stories, and their origins had never been confirmed.

"How about you Puffy? We're you born in the city?" You asked, watching as said sheep hybrid shifted in her bed roll.

"I came from a distant land filled with endless rolling hills." Puffy yawned, recalling her oldest memories. "The grass was greener than the emeralds villagers traded, and my family had built a cottage near the ocean. I can remember how blue the water used to be, and how the ocean turned orange during the sunsets.

Then, these pirates- they came out of nowhere and began slaughtering everyone, taking their wool and raiding our homes. They took anything worth value, and chased down any survivors without mercy.

Fundy eventually found me along the outskirts along the city," pausing, she looked towards the fox hybrid, who was currently snoring. "Had it not been for him, I would have been found, and probably gone like the rest of my family. That's how we built our bakery, in the city paying the pirates for protection, where they couldn't hurt us unless we left the protection of the city."

Puffy laid down on her sleeping roll, eyes flickering over the orange and purple hues of the sky. "That pirate's name was Malek- master of the seas. Ever since I knew who had ruined my life, I swore that I would get my revenge one day."

The name brought chills over your spine, a reminder that the pirate Malek had not only ruined your life, but thousands of others with his unmistakable greed. The trees around you swayed in the cold breeze that licked your skin, sending goosebumps over everyone else. The silence was interrupted by a rather loud snore emitting from Fundy, whom had been sprawled out on the ground- causing laugher to sound from the three remaining people awake.

"We should get some sleep. I'll wake you up when we need to leave again." Puffy finished, turning her body and finally relaxing in her roll. You followed her actions and settled on your bed roll, glancing over to Ranboo, who was staring at the colour-scattered sky.

As if sensing your intense stare, he turned his head to look over at you, watching as you quickly looked anywhere else but him.

"Sleep well, (y/n)." He chuckled, finally settling into his own roll. Your cheeks had been hot from the flush scattered across them, heart beating quick from what you assumed was the embarrassment.

"Yeah, sleep well." Mumbling back to him, you hesitantly turned over to face the hybrid, who was turned to face you. His eyes had already been closed, sleep easily coming to him.

With a full belly and warm heart, you closed your own eyes and enjoyed the steady decent into sleep.

»»——⍟——««

I've been staying up too late