Gold and dragon feathers

Pearl of hope

"W-What?"

Tommy had already felt kind of surprised when Niki showed up at their door.

Realistically he knows she's been to their house before and after learning that Ranboo spent a lot of time with her while they were gone (looking for him) it's been made clear that those couple of visits where she stayed outside weren't even the extent of it now. It's just that he's still used to their door being untouched, at least by anyone outside of the trio.

"Wilbur told me the sbi are coming to snowchester to visit you guys"

There's another thing that surprises him today. Hearing her repeat herself does little to ease his confusion and with a quick glance at Tubbo and Ranboo he's not the only one caught off guard.

"Why?"

"To check on you guys"

Niki must be seeing three identically confused faces but she continues on as if her answer to Tubbo's question was obvious

"I only got it this morning but it sounds like they'll be here this evening, figured I should tell you guys so you can meet them in town"

That's appreciated, at least. Doesn't erase the mental questions and the lingering panic (that he just now realizes is from shifting so quickly when he first heard the knock on their door).

"Cool"

Is all he can think to say. Is he supposed to feel a little dizzy? He can feel concern radiate from Niki in the seconds between the single response and her next words.

"...Would you rather me send them over here?"

"No!"

Tommy's eyes are torn away from whatever part of the doorway he was vacantly staring at to Tubbo, who suddenly shrinks away from the sudden attention he brought to himself.

"I mean- We're fine, we can meet them in town"

He gives Tommy a meaningful look before gesturing to the inside of their house with his head. Tommy looks at it for a second before remembering the lavish houses they've stayed at the last week, let alone the one the sleepy bois live in.

"Yeah. It'll be nice to get out of the house anyway"

Even Ranboo relaxes at his agreement, not arguing against his housemates' decision.

"Perfect!... when should I tell them to meet you?"

She means well but Tommy still gives the cat hybrid a scrunched nose, hell if they know what the plan should be. They just found out the sbi where even coming a couple minutes ago and before her arrival the trio where making a sport out of lounging while going back and forth narrating Micheal's attempt to destroy a purple feather that had caught his attention. They're very much unprepared for decision making.

"Uhm, I don't know"

Tubbo looks to Tommy then Ranboo, who ends up crumbling under the expectant faces of the two shorter hybrids. The enderman is left with no choice but to make the decision.

"...Uh, what if we go over to the bakery around dinner time and if they're still not here we can just go on a picnic?"

"That would work, I could even make you guys soup or something"

Tommy should have predicted that under that much pressure Ranboo would default to yet another picnic but he finds he doesn't mind. Ever since he was a kid picnics have been more and more of an old friend. Hell, even with Tubbo and the sbi they had their fair share of them on the road.

"That would be great, Niki, thank you"

The way she smiles at him is refreshingly devoid of worry or concern, he almost forgot what it's like to not be the subject of someone's worries.