𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐘 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄. ranboo (complete)

𝐋. AWKWARD

Tubbo claimed to not want anyone distracting him, so that meant that Theo was squished in the back between Ranboo on his right and Tommy on his left. Ranboo's arm was wrapped around him in a half-hug protectively, and Tommy looked like he was trying not to look at them out of the corner of his eye. Theo partly wished that Tommy had never said anything about his feelings for Theo, if only to spare Theo from the awkward tension and icky feelings that came from sitting between Tommy and Ranboo.

His best friend and his crush, only one of which had a confirmed crush on him.

And it wasn't the one Theo wanted.

Part of him wished that he did like Tommy romantically. It would make all of this so much easier — he could just date Tommy. He's known Tommy for ages, a lot longer than he's known Ranboo, and Tommy has been nothing if not supportive and kind to Theo since they first met. It would be so much easier to love Tommy.

But Theo didn't love Tommy, not romantically. Not the way Tommy seemed to love him.

Theo leaned closer to Ranboo, looking up at him. "Your hoodie is at Tommy's. I got blood on it."

"I don't care," Ranboo said. He frowned. "About the hoodie, I mean. It's just a hoodie. I have, like, seven of them. It's fine."

Theo smiled slightly. "I'll get it back."

"You can keep it when you do," Ranboo said.

Theo smiled brightly at him.

Ranboo looked away, staring straight ahead. "So you went to Tommy's when you got hurt?" he asked, and just like that, it was awkward again.

"He needed someone to support him," Tommy said stiffly.

"Tubbo and I were closer," Ranboo pointed out, and while Theo knew he wasn't being malicious on purpose, he definitely wasn't making things better.

When Tubbo pulled into the driveway to his house, Theo was the first one out of the car — he climbed through the middle of the front two seats and got out through the passenger's door, not wanting to spend another moment between the two arguing boys. Tommy and Ranboo sputtered in shock and Tubbo started to laugh, but Theo wasn't amused.

They were both dumb. What Theo decided to do when he was high-strung and emotional was none of their business.

Tubbo led them all inside, sitting Theo on the couch and handing him a water bottle. "Spill," he said.

It took Theo a moment to realize he didn't mean to literally spill the water.

"I wanted to go home because parties aren't my thing and I was tired," he began, already lying. It was for the best, he rationalized. "I didn't want to bother you and Ranboo because you guys seemed like you were having fun." He took a deep breath, not wanting to get pulled back into the fight that had left him bruised. "I got beat up by these three guys, they wanted some money. I didn't have any, which they found out after beating me up. I was embarrassed and angry so I ran off, I guess I just got on a train to Tommy's without thinking."

Tubbo nodded. "Alright. Okay, that makes sense. Next time just call us, okay?"

"Uh, let's up there isn't a next time?" Ranboo suggested.

"Theo," Tommy said seriously, "tell them the other thing."

Ranboo and Tubbo looked at Theo, frowning. "The other thing?" Ranboo asked. If Theo didn't feel like his heart was going to force itself out of his throat, he might have loved the concern that Ranboo was showing him.

"This guy on the train was sitting next to me and offered me a water bottle. I didn't think much of it and drank it but it was vodka," he explained, quieter. Ranboo took his hand, interlocking their fingers together. Theo breathed in deep, shaking. "Uh, I got drunk, which is a big reason why I didn't want to answer your texts. I was okay after, just had a killer headache, but. Yeah," he finished lamely, shrugging.

"Jesus," Tubbo muttered, frowning at him.

"I mean, at least it wasn't so bad the second time around," Theo tried to joke, voice falling flat when the other three boys turned to look at him, each wearing a different expression of confusion, horror, and anger.

"Excuse me?" Tubbo asked, voice toeing the line of furious and curious.

Theo awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. "Uh, Harriet forced me to get high with her when I was thirteen. She said if I told anyone I could go to juvie so, uh, congrats on being the first ones to know." He shrugged, only feeling bad when their expressions turned to concern and horrified. He lacked any feeling toward the situation — it was four years ago, after all, and it hadn't exactly stunted his growth. Plus, he'd learned that he couldn't handle weed.

But seeing the others stare at him in horror, silent, Theo felt like needles were pricking his skin. He crossed his arms, looking away. "I'm going to therapy when I get back to America," he said, which was true, but he mostly said it to get them off his back.

"Good," Ranboo said softly.

"You need it," Tubbo mused. Tommy elbowed him harshly. Theo grinned at the two of them, feeling a lot better now that Tubbo had made the 'rude' comment that they were all thinking.

"Alright," Tommy said, standing up. "This calls for pizza."

"I'll make cookies," Ranboo jumped in, getting to his feet.

"You guys okay with cheese?" Tommy asked. The other three boys nodded. Tommy and Ranboo went into the kitchen, the door swinging shut behind them, and Theo turned to Tubbo, who was staring at him with an unreadable expression.

"Are you actually alright, Boss Man?" Tubbo asked, sounding as awkward as he looked. He wasn't good with emotions, that was something Theo had always known, but he found it sweet that Tubbo was trying to talk about feelings with Theo.

The least Theo could do was be honest with him.

"I'm okay," he said after a moment, holding Tubbo's gaze. "Sometimes it's hard to remember that I'm not thirteen again, alone and scared because Harriet controlled every aspect of my life back then, but I'm okay. I have amazing friends and an amazing brother and an amazing life, and I'm okay."

Jesus, Theo didn't even sound like he believed himself. He meant what he said, but he was lacking any real confidence in his words. Judging from Tubbo's expression, the other had picked up on it, too.

Tubbo reached out to hug him, which made Theo tense — not because he was being touched, but because it was Tubbo, who he hadn't hugged since their first meeting at the airport.  Theo was fairly sure he and Tubbo hadn't made physical contact since that hug in the airport, actually, which is why it was so weird that Tubbo was the one to initiate the hug.

After a moment, Theo leaned into it, not wanting this opportunity to go to waste.

"C'mon," Tubbo said, pulling back with a grin, "Let's make sure Ranboo doesn't burn down the kitchen."

A/N

now I gotta change Ranboo's
coming out scene ffs /lh